


Black Light District

by MADOSQUAD



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: M/M, but without all the fast cars and hot people, did i mention that its a high school au, its more like 2 drag races and a couple of hot high school kids, kind of based off of tokyo drift, set in tokyo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2015-05-18
Packaged: 2018-02-25 17:19:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 65,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2629973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MADOSQUAD/pseuds/MADOSQUAD
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fast cars and easy money - that's what drag racing is all about right? Ciel Phantomhive, heir to the Funtom car factory fortune, despises the art, wherever it is to be found, of the spectator sport. The junior just isn't interested in tagging along behind the ever-flirtatious Alois to abandoned alleyways and empty parking garages to see out-of-work college dropouts smash perfectly good cars into each other. He isn't interested that is, until, a tall, very quiet transfer student shows up, and teaches all of the self-proclaimed drivers a few things.</p><p>Suddenly, Ciel is very interested in cars - very interested in the senior, Sebastian Michaelis, whose quiet demeanor and good manners makes him a quick topic of conversation. Ciel wants to be invested in the boy's life, wants to make him even better than he already is. He wants to be in control, and Sebastian's going to let him help, no matter what.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Moeru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drag races, interesting transfers and quick deals. What could possibly go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoys this fic. I've only read one other FAF/Kuro crossover (courtesy of my favorite kuroshitsuji fanfic writer over on ffnet) and I really wanted to try my hand at one. This isn't a total crossover, per say. It does contain a lot of drag racing and cars, however. I really hope that people like this! 
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

The Lower Level, or LL, is the sturdy concrete skeleton of a parking garage nestled beside an abandoned shopping mall within the 109 center, on the avenue before the road stretches down onto Harajuku, Omotesandou, and Sendagaya. It had long since been transformed into a popular hangout spot for the disaffected youth to drag race and host off-the-record fist fights for bets and money.

Hungry catcalls and a loud song with a booming bass emanate from the uppermost level, surrounding the crowd that has multiplied in only a few seconds after announcing the first round of the fight. 

Ciel leans against the door of Alois' 2013 Audi S8, which is nothing to sneeze at in his opinion. It's a smooth paint job, the color of gunmetal. He likes the car, personally. Not as ugly as the new Corvettes that every car dealership pushed in the faces of every interested car buyer. 

"I don't condone violence," the raven haired boy says, watching as Alois sensually slides from the hood of the car, as insidiously as a snake. No doubt the movements are all for show, all for the man, dressed head to toe in black, on the adjacent side of the parking lot. "You know I find these types of events to be tasteless," Ciel presses as Alois slips into spot beside him, pausing only to unceremoniously pull his shorts down out of the creases of his thighs.

The blond circles him hungrily, like a hawk, subtle smile ever present. 

"Oh come on, Phantomhive. I thought you were always up for a good race. Even you know that a fight before the main event makes for better outcomes. Bet big, Ciel. You've never missed one, and have never said otherwise."

Ciel shifts away slightly - Alois' presence unsettles him slightly. They're fairly similar in background and in height, but very much unalike in personality and looks.

Alois is blond and much more robust than Ciel, with a large personality that is used to overcompensate for the crippling insecurity he has - at least, that's Ciel's view on it.

Ciel is slightly smaller than Alois, with black hair and large, dark blue eyes. However, he wears an eye patch over the right one to cover a childhood injury. It's hard for him to see out of it. His presence is much more slight, more subtle than the blond's. 

"Just because I indulge your whims and come along with you to the races, doesn't mean I will stick around for the fights. I thought that of all people, you'd understand."

"Fine," Alois hisses through his teeth, "I'll tell them to cut the shit and start the race." He stalks off, and even though Ciel knows that the blond isn't angry, more inconvenienced than anything - he still feels bad. It's an irritating feeling. Ciel isn't used to feeling badly for other people. Alois isn't even one of his friends, more of an acquaintance, a leech that has latched on and burrowed its way into his bones. 

Dejected groans echo around the empty space, but they are quickly replaced by the sound of cheers and revving engines. Goosebumps crawl up Ciel's arms. No matter how much he says he hates the sport, that noise will always fury him into some misplaced affection. The simultaneous purr of Mustangs and Dodges pleases Ciel, and, briefly, makes him think of his father, Vincent. He wills the thought away and climbs into the passenger seat of Alois' car. The blond saunters back to the Audi and pulls the door open. 

"Everyone stayed," he says as he starts the car. 

"As expected. I don't know of anyone aware of the LL to miss out on a race."

They pull into the center of the floor, the center of attention. Ciel is practically the poster child for cars, with his father being who he was, and Alois - Alois just likes being noticed by crowds of people. They get out, wave down the cheering. 

"Looks like we've really drawn a crowd, huh?" Alois claps his hands together, moving closer to the people as Ciel leans back against the hood of the car. "Who are our contenders tonight? Once we've decided, we can draw bets and get started."

There are tons of cheers, all for the usual gunners: Lau, the sly and sinister drug dealer from China; Claude Faustus, the man that Alois keeps making eyes at; Ash Landers, the pale haired hearthrob that had no defining good or bad intentions. 

Ciel yawns; he's bored. 

It's always them, and Lau always wins. 

"I'd like to participate," a smooth voice calls from the back, making many people turn and look. Ciel cranes his neck to see a tall, slender man with narrow shoulders, black hair, and cool features. He's dressed in tight black jeans, a white shirt that isn't fitted, and a black track jacket. His English is good. 

Alois' lips crook, but Ciel is faster to speak and quicker to move. He pushes away from the car and moves to walk up to the stranger. 

"Do you think you have what it takes to race here?" he says in a low voice, in Japanese. The guy doesn't blink.

"I don't speak Japanese very well."

Ciel lets his lips curl upwards. "I thought so. You're a transfer, aren't you? From where? Judging by your accent, I'd say London. Eastern End."

"How did you know?"

"I know my way around a map," Ciel says smoothly, looking the stranger up and down. "My name is Ciel. Phantomhive, of course. Yours, if you'd be so kind to tell me?"

His eyes are dark, like the color of wine. They make Ciel feel uneasy. 

"I'm Sebastian Michaelis." He pauses. "Are you really the Phantomhive's kid? Funtom and everything?"

"Funtom and everything."

Ciel turns on his heel, passes back through the crowd, and makes a 'come here' motion to Alois. The blond complies and flounces over.

"You interested?" 

"I want to let him race," Ciel says. "I'm going to let him drive my car."

Alois snorts and backs away. "You're gonna let him drive your 458? Christ, Ciel! You must be suicidal. That car is your favorite."

It's true that the coal black Ferrari is his prized possession, everyone knew that. He kept it in pristine condition and never let anyone eat or drink or smoke in it. Ciel pulls the keys from his pocket and turns.

"Sebastian."

The stranger looks as the keys fly through the air and land in his hand. 

"You'll be driving my car."

"Oh, but I -"

Ciel makes a noise, cutting Sebastian off. "Maybe you didn't hear me correctly. You'll be driving my car." He waves in a vague motion at all the others before walking back to Alois' car. "Start the bets. Lau, Sebastian. You're up."

-

Out of a group of 200 people, only 15 had bet on Sebastian. Including Ciel. 184 had bet on Lau. Alois, the last remaining bet, didn't. Said something about refusing to pick on anyone that wasn't Claude. 

The two cars are beside each other, each roaring and revving respectively. Sebastian looks at home in the Ferrari, Lau, however, is wearing a mask of unease - as if he hadn't done this twenty times before.

A tall, particularly uninterested looking teenage girl with long, purple hair stood between the two cars, arms up. She glances at Ciel, who nods approvingly. "On your marks!" The Ferrari revs while the Charger beside it screams loudly. "Get set!" Ciel clears his throat, standing straighter. "GO!" The girl drops her arms and the cars streak past her and up to the twisting levels of the parking garage. Teens on the higher levels are screaming and shrieking, nearly overpowering the sound of roaring engines and squealing tires.

Alois sidles up next to Ciel, one hand dancing over the car's paint. 

"Who do you think will win?"

"You already know who I bet on," Ciel responds tautly, shoulders set. He's irritated, _irritated_ that it's taking so long for them to finish. He strains to listen to the sound of the cars turning, to them jumping over speed bumps as they jet back to the bottom level. There are a flurry of groans, of displeased sounds. 

The Ferrari streaks into the empty space, along with a collection of dust. The Dodge is hot behind it, but Lau just isn't quick enough. 

Ciel's knees nearly give out.

_Lau wasn't quick enough._

Sebastian gets out of the car, only to be flooded by the group of teens. 

"You cheated!"

"There's no way Lau could've lost to a newbie like you!"

Loud insults in both English and Japanese are hurled at the winner, much to Ciel's displeasure. He opens the door to Alois' Audi and lays on the horn, getting everyone's attention. 

"Congratulations, Michaelis. It seems you've beat our best." He slams the car door, earning a hiss from Alois. 

"Be careful," the blond snarls, poking Ciel in the chest. "I love this car."

Sebastian looks uncomfortable as he holds out the keys at arm's length. Ciel makes no moves to take them, stands still instead, arms crossed. "I'm actually quite impressed. Lau's never lost a race. Have you done this before?"

"Yes, I have. The last time, I crashed the car. Wasn't mine, however."

"So you're a thief?"

The wine colored eyes flicker over Ciel's face menacingly.

"I was." He tosses the keys back and Ciel catches them without flinching. "But I'm not anymore."

"I see that." People begin to lose interest, begin to grumble about their losses, begin to leave. Ciel doesn't pay them any mind. He motions for Sebastian to come closer, back over to the Ferrari. Ciel drags a finger over its hood, lovingly. "You're a good driver. How'd you learn to drive like that? I've never seen anyone driver better than Lau."

There's a pause between them as the LL empties out - even Alois gets into his own car, but not before waving goodbye to Ciel and telling him to 'get fucked'.

"I taught myself to drive. That's why I'm here." Sebastian's shoulders shift like he's uncomfortable. "I crashed a car into a school. Luckily, it was after hours, so no one got hurt. My mom - she was the one that sent me down here. To live with my dad, you know. He doesn't talk to me very much, and strictly speaking, I'm not allowed to even think about cars."

Ciel smiles and moves away from the car, towards the metal folding chair where the lock-box proudly sits, gleaming in the fluorescent yellow light. Once it's opened, they both see the large sum of money sitting within its midst.

Some even bet hundreds.

"They thought Lau wouldn't lose. I bet they believed that a newbie like you couldn't win."

He holds the box out to Sebastian, who seems a little in shock.

"Is this - is this all for me?"

"You earned it. Fair and square."

Ciel eyes the car. Sebastian takes the box and rifles through the money. "There's nearly $1000."

"There's probably more than that. And there's definitely more where it came from." He taps on the hood of the car without much force. "The win may have been sheer dumb luck, or it may have been sheer dumb talent - but I want to take you on. As a protege, if you will." There's no response. "Now, you're probably older than me. Are you in high school? What year? Which school?"

Sebastian scratches at the back of his neck. "I'm a senior at King's Academy."

"I'm a junior there," Ciel says, tilting his head ever so slightly. "I'd like to make you a... a proposition. I will lend you any car in my artillery you may like, any one at all. I will train you in the art of drag racing. I will make you a winner; I'll make you rich." He pauses, letting his good eye dart to Sebastian's face. He seems interested enough, but he isn't _saying_ anything. He wants to hear Sebastian agree, doesn't want it to be told by body language. Ciel wants a promise. "In return, I'll ask that you drive me around. Nothing more, nothing less. If you continue to win races such as these, you should be able to buy yourself your own 485 in no time at all." He reaches for his wallet and pulls out a small business card. 

Sebastian takes it between his index and middle fingers and examines it.

"If you're interested, give me a call. I love a challenge."

-

Sunlight spills through the pitcher window of Ciel's apartment, glinting into his eyes. He rubs at them, almost like a child, before reaching for his eye patch and tying it in a loose knot around his head. At first, the thought of wearing the patch frightened him, but now it had become a part of him. Like an extra limb. Ciel wore his bangs slightly long to hide it as much as he could, even despite being comfortable with it. 

He dresses quickly in a pair of dark jeans and a loose-necked sweater. A pea coat goes on top of it all, and he slips on a pair of boots that reach to his mid-calf. The weather has gotten colder, and sometimes it's hard for Ciel to stay warm. He doesn't despise the cold, but would rather be warm, instead. 

The trip to school isn't a far one, and as soon as he's there, Ciel is tagged down by Alois. The blond doesn't look very warm, dressed in a pair of tights and knee high boots and a puffy coat. However, he's chattering nonsensically like usual, so Ciel assumes that he just isn't bothered by the cold.

"So, what did you say to that guy last night? The one that won the race?"

Their teacher clears her throat loudly. She's a round faced woman that dotes on Ciel. He's usually indifferent towards her, but today - today is different. He ignores her pointed look she shoots the two before continuing with her lesson.

"I told him I was going to help him win," Ciel says lowly, in English. Most of the students in the class can speak and understand it, but it's just easier for Ciel and Alois to communicate this way, like it's easier for the others to communicate in Japanese. 

"Kinky."

"It's not like that. I'm going to make him the most famous underground drag racer in all of Japan."

-

Lunch rolls around, and instead of eating in their classroom like normal, Ciel and his blond leech venture into the lunchroom. He glances around once they're out of the way of other students. Sebastian is seated at a table with three others: two blond boys, and a redheaded girl. They're all chattering excitedly, except for Sebastian. Ciel makes his way to the table, lunch and Alois in tow. 

"You didn't call," he says, rather unceremoniously. The talking stops, and Sebastian offers something of a demure smile. His teeth are straight and even. Like clean, white floor tiles.

"You said to call only if I were interested."

Ciel sits, without being invited to do so. He doesn't really care. If anything, he's _bothered_ by how Sebastian is reacting. 

"And you're not interested? The thought of cars wasn't even remotely teasing to you?"

"It is. It's extremely tempting," Sebastian begins, poking at something that looks like fish with a pair of ebony chopsticks, "but what would I get out of it? You'd get the satisfaction that you've turned me into a prize horse, but what would I get?"

"You'd be a winner - you'd be the best racer in all of Japan. What is more tempting than that? More money than you'd know what to do with, the nicest cars you could even dream of."

Sebastian shifts, chews on his food. Ciel pays attention to the work of his jaw. 

Alois stands off the side, like a growth in Ciel's peripheral vision. He grimaces.

"Fine." He stands. "If you're not interested in my offer, I'll refute it. Forget this ever happened."

The wine colored eyes move back to Ciel, heavily lidded and thickly lashed.

"I didn't reject you. I've been mulling it over, and I've decided to take it. I agree." The others at the table begin to talk lowly, all darting eyes and moving mouths. Ciel feels frozen, almost rooted to his spot. He takes his chopsticks out and stirs at his school-bought ramen. Personally, he finds it salty and the soup leaves his mouth feeling tacky, but it's warm and doesn't taste all that bad. Ciel chews on it carefully before looking at Sebastian, examining him. High brows, a cool forehead, angled eyes. His lips curve upwards, giving him the appearance of knowing something you don't, like the cat that ate the canary. It makes Ciel's stomach turn. 

He pauses in eating.

"Good. This will work in both of our favors."

Sebastian takes another small bite.

"I should hope so. I usually don't agree to contracts with people younger than me."

There is a pause. Ciel swallows a mouthful of salty broth and glances at Alois, who flicks his eyebrows upwards in some half-attempt of misplaced comfort. He runs his tongue over his teeth and sets his chopsticks down. Sebastian keeps eating without looking at him. For some reason, that infuriates Ciel. Like he's not even there.

"I don't usually make contracts with people that drive broken down Mustangs either, but here you are." He stands. "Training starts tomorrow. Be at the Shibuya East Apartments lobby by 10 AM. If you're late, the deal is off."

And with that, he stalks away, contemplating dumping the noodles into Sebastian's lap the whole time.


	2. Monogoi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting, changing, planning. Racing has a lot more involvement than Sebastian previously thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> literally, i don't know anything about cars. do you know how much research i'm doing for this fic? incredible.
> 
> sorry if anyone is ooc. 
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

That night, Sebastian dreams of cars. Fast cars, slow cars, red cars, black cars, dented cars, new cars. He dreams of being behind the wheel again, of the way the engine feels in his chest. He dreams of Ciel on a throne made of demolished automobiles, looking high and mighty. 

Sebastian wakes up anxious and slightly sweaty. It's still dark outside; the clock proclaims that it's a little after 5 in bright red numbers. He doesn't get up until ten minutes later, trying to will the storm in his stomach to settle. His father is already gone by the time Sebastian does get out of bed, leaving behind him a note and half a pot of coffee. 

' _Be good. No cars,_ ' the note reads in his father's slanted scrawl. Sebastian leaves both it and the coffee to return to his bedroom, which is nothing more than a broom closet with a futon crammed into it, and gets dressed. He doesn't have school, so he opts out of the uniform and pulls on a pair of dark jeans, a cream colored sweater that is slightly too thin for the weather, a pair of lace-up boots, and his leather jacket.

He makes breakfast - something that closely resembles fish (found in the fridge, probably the same kind he was served at school) and a cup of coffee, which are both decidedly not horrible. The television is on, but he can't really understand what the news anchors are saying. Videos of flashing lights circulate across the screen, followed by repeating images of a series of wrecked cars in an impound lot. Sebastian chews slowly. The fish sticks to his teeth in a way that is anything less than pleasant. 

For a split second, he thinks about being home. He didn't have many friends, just a rag-tag group of people he was okay being close with - mainly Joker. Joker was everything that Sebastian wasn't: he was loud, sneaky, and a good driver. He had gotten Sebastian in the whole 'stealing cars' thing. Cars made Sebastian nervous. Made his hands anxious. He liked driving, liked the way it felt when it wasn't his. 

Sebastian quietly finishes his meal and sets the dishes in the sink before retreating back to his room. He still has a few more hours to kill before the designated meet up time with the little prince. It's not that he doesn't like Ciel - he doesn't really have that much experience about the boy to pin some sort of feeling to him - but Sebastian finds the whole deal a little odd. He had acted so frankly at the race and the day after, like whatever he said was to be set in stone and that was that.

Of course, there is the awe-factor of being able to converse with the heir to the Funtom factory, which Sebastian believed to be one of the best car companies out there. They manufactured all across the globe, all different kinds of cars. The type of cars that Sebastian would practically kill for - Ciel probably had in a garage, unused and waiting, waiting for someone to start them up and drive them.

The sky is relatively blue by the time Sebastian leaves his home - he's leaving early because he honestly isn't sure where he's supposed to go. He gets directions from a rather feminine looking person with hair so blond it's almost white. Sebastian takes the Ginza subway line and finds himself at the Shibuya Plaza, a well-crowded shopping center. He wonders why there are apartments in a place meant for retail stores and mini-malls.

After riding a ways on the JR Yamanote line, he ends up exactly where he's supposed to be: a few blocks from a glittering slew of apartments that vaguely resembles a bank or something, with its glinting windows and neatly trimmed flowerbeds. People are entering and exiting, all waving and jeering at one another in loud voices and chattering Japanese. He feels out of place, but goes inside anyway.

It's five minutes before ten, according to the clock, which gives Sebastian five minutes to find a spot to sit down and try to calm down. He lets his shoulders relax, and waits for Ciel to appear.

"You're early," a voice behind him says, making Sebastian stand on instinct. Ciel is dressed similarly to him, wearing a dark colored sweater with a loose scoop neck that shows a lot of Ciel's pale skin, a pair of dark jeans, and knee high boots. His hair is artfully mussed and his eye patch is in place, tied in a hurried knot. Sebastian wonders why he wears it, wonders if he's missing the eye or something.

"Well, you said if I was late, the deal was off."

"That's correct," the boy says, taking a seat on the table in the center of the circle of chairs, looking cool and collected. "I also told you that I'd make you the best drag racer in all of underground Japan." His good eye, the uncovered one, flicks up and down, sizing up Sebastian. His lips quirk. "I intend to keep that promise. I'm not one for letting go of things I've promised. My car is outside - we can go to the garage so you can pick out which car you'd like to practice in, after we meet someone. I'd prefer it if you didn't pick the 458, the car you drove in the race against Lau. That one is mine, and it will stay that way. I only let you use it because I wanted to test you."

Sebastian lets his eyes narrow as Ciel slides off the table, something like pride rising in his chest.

"Now, your mentor - if I can even call him that - is a little... odd, shall we say? Don't let him fool you. He's been in the business for quite some time."

Ciel walks in a way that is careful, carries himself with some sort of pride. His shoulders are straight, his head is high. Sebastian finds himself copying the walk as he shadows behind him, close enough to reach out and touch him, but far enough to only graze his shoulder if he tried. 

The boy leads Sebastian out to a sleek black Escalade and hands him the keys. "The shop is a little ways past Dogenzaka. You can't miss it."

-

Ciel wasn't lying - the building is made of gray brick with a black sign tacked to the front above the door that reads 'Undertaker'. It stands out against all the other dilapidated buildings that were apart from the rest of the shopping centers.

"Undertaker!" Ciel calls out, rapping on the door with the knuckle of his index finger. There's a shuffling sound from inside, followed by a few noises of exclamation, and the door opens. A tall man stands in the doorway, long gray hair hanging in his face. Sebastian feels uneasy at the way the man's eyes glint between gaps in his bangs, yellow and sinister. An inhuman giggling sound echoes around the building and floats through the doorway.

The man's voice is croaky and low as he opens the door wider, "Little lord, you came back. Do you have my payment?" 

Ciel looks uneasy. "I don't think I -"

"Oh come now, little Phantomhive! I let you go free last time, but I'm overdue," he chuckles, reaching out a hand to poke at Ciel's cheek with a long, black nail. 

Sebastian wishes he could understand what they were saying - the little translation book he'd bought at the airport is back at his father's. Ciel crosses his arms, swaying slightly in the gentle breeze that is fairly cold. His eyes are closed, like he's thinking. The man in the doorway has his head tilted, like a dog that's being talked to in a shrill voice.

After a few more moments of silence, Ciel clears his throat. "What do you call a zoo full of dogs?"

"What?"

"A shih tzu."

There's a pause, and then the man falls to his feet, howling with loud, raucous laughter that shakes his entire body. He hits the flat of his palm against the threshold of the door a few times before standing and wiping his eyes.

"You've always been one of my best customers," he says, before turning his attention to Sebastian, who looks confused and slightly taken aback. "Who is this? A new friend of yours?"

"He doesn't speak Japanese, Undertaker. His name is Sebastian, the one I told you about."

The man makes a sound of recognition and changes to English. "I see," he begins, folding his arms, "well, you must be good to have caught the attention of our young prince over here. How good are you? He told me you won, but he didn't tell me how good you are." Sebastian shifts uncomfortably, preparing himself to answer, but Ciel butts in.

"Watch it, Undertaker. I'm taking him to the garage after this talk is finished. We'll come back tonight, and he'll show you. Or do you really have that little faith in me, to think that I'd show interest in someone not worthy of it?"

"You've never shown any interest in training someone before, have you? You never showed any interest in following in your father's footsteps. Why the sudden change in heart?"

Ciel lets his voice lower to something above a whisper, switches back to Japanese. "He's good."

-

The garage is a concrete building attached to the back of the Funtom factory, three stories in height and 4500 square feet in design. On the first level are Ciel's favorite sports cars: the Mustangs, the Acuras, the Jags, and the Ferraris. On the second level are the cars that he keeps close: The Lambos, the Mazdas, the SRTs. On the third level are the cars that he doesn't pay much attention to anymore: The Nissans, the Subarus, The Toyotas.

"Now, you can pick any one you'd like. I'd recommend staying on the first and second levels, but if you'd like to look at the third, you're free to." Ciel takes a seat in an Audi, one of Alois' reoccurring picks, as Sebastian makes his way around the automobiles, not touching, barely breathing. He's afraid to even look at them, knowing that they cost more money than he's got in that metal box hidden in a crack between his futon and the wall. He's scared his father will smell the scent of cars on him, on his clothes - the scent of clean leather and gas.

A dark blue Jaguar catches his eye, and Sebastian heads to it.

"It's an XJL," Ciel calls, making Sebastian look at him. "2015, V8 engine, 470 HP. You can handle it, if that's the one you're choosing. However, you haven't even looked at the second level, yet. Can you drive stick?" The boy isn't even looking his way, is fiddling with the controls of the car. 

"Stick, yeah. I can drive anything." He looks back at the car. "I don't think I need to see any other cars. I want this one." Sebastian can see himself in the tinted window. He looks older than he actually is; he looks like his father. 

"Good choice. I'll tell the others."

Sebastian turns around again to see Ciel making his way to a cord phone fixed to the wall.

"The others?"

"Do you think that I work alone? Do you think that I, the son of Funtom, work alone?" Ciel picks up the phone, a condescending smile on his face. "Maybe you aren't as smart as I took you for. No, I don't work alone. Of course there are others. Others that will also tie into you becoming the best racer in all of Japan."

Sebastian walks back towards him, ready to say something, but Ciel is already speaking, back to Japanese. He can understand a few words, but that's all it is - a few. The call lasts for a few minutes, and most of Ciel's sentences are punctuated with exasperated sighs and gritted teeth. Suddenly, he's speaking in English again, like he wants Sebastian to hear. "Yes, I understand. Yes. Bring them all. Tell them to cancel any prior engagements and come to the warehouse directly." Ciel pauses to look Sebastian's way, features washed out in the bright white lighting of the building. "Do it now."

He hangs up the phone and moves to a rack hanging on the wall, where there are a numerous series of keys hanging there, all in a row. "Would you tell me what number is hanging above the Jaguar?"

Sebastian cranes his neck to see it: "J2."

"Thought so," Ciel says, picking up a set of keys that he quickly tosses underhandedly to Sebastian. "It suits you. Drive it out into the warehouse and stay there until I come in. It shouldn't take very long. Stay there, and don't touch anything. The mechanics won't like it."

He's already in the car by the time Ciel is finished talking, and it doesn't take him long to drive it out of the garage and around to the front of the warehouse, where he steers it in, and waits like the boy told him to.

After a few moments of waiting with fidgety fingers, the revving of car engines announce the arrival of the 'others' that Ciel had mentioned. Sebastian straightens up from where he had been leaning against the Jaguar as car door slams and people chatter in English. 

"Well, he just told me to drop everything," a voice says that is distinctly pleasant, while another that is vaguely gruff mutters, "I was in the middle'a something when Soma called and told me to get up here, that the little prince wanted something."

A handful of people enter the warehouse, and Sebastian recognizes three of the faces: he'd met them at school.

The smaller blond boy - Finny - blinks a few times before pointing and exclaiming, "It's you! The new kid, from England!" He skips over to Sebastian, grinning cheerfully. "So, you're really working with Ciel, huh? That's awfully nice." He looks at the other blond boy who's much taller and stockier, frowning. "Bard, aren't you gonna come talk to him? He sat with us the other day at lunch." The girl beside him is fidgeting with her hands, face as red as her hair. "You too, Mey-rin!"

"You all work for Ciel?"

Sebastian stands in the light, hands in the pockets of his jacket. 

"We sure do! Me and Bard, we're mechanics. Mey-rin is our eyes and ears. There are three more people that work with us too. There's Soma, Agni, and Nina." 

"Are they high school students too?"

The three exchange looks and shrug in sync. "Agni is older than Soma, Soma is at least in his twenties, and Nina is at least five years older than Agni. So, no, they aren't," Finny says, rocking back and forth on his heels. Bard steps forward to peer into the window of the Jag, a cigarette clamped between his teeth. 

"What have I said about smoking around the cars, Baldroy?"

The blond's broad shoulders contract as Ciel walks into the warehouse, lips tilted upwards.

"C'mon, boss. It's Bard - and I'm sorry. I keep forgetting."

"One-track mind. Where are the others? I though that Soma'd be here first, considering I called him to tell everyone else to be here as soon as they could."

He stands beside Sebastian, back straight as an arrow. Ciel's shoulders are narrow, and he's almost a head shorter than Sebastian. His arms and legs are thin, his hands small and finely boned. His neck is slender, and he's pale - like ice. If he didn't carry himself in that way of his, he'd come off as fragile, like the slightest touch or gust of wind would cause Ciel to completely fall apart.

Sebastian snaps out of his reverie when two more car doors slam, paired with the sound of overlapping yells, each calling out Ciel's name.

"CIEL!" A very tan man with dark hair that's almost purple runs in, a brunette woman and another dark skinned man behind him. "I missed you!" He flings his arms around Ciel, nearly knocking him over with the force of his body. 

"S-Soma!" the other man says, one hand extended outwards. His hair is bleached white and there's a small red dot between his eyebrows. One of his hands is bandaged, like he's been injured. The woman looks upset, her cheeks puffed out. She's short and curvy, with her hair pulled into one thick ponytail over her shoulder, glasses perched on her turned-up nose.

"Get off of me," Ciel says in a muffled voice, his face pressed into the man's chest. "You're not here for me."

"I'm always here for you, Ciel!"

"Agni, please."

The other man - Agni? - steps forward to free Ciel, who steps backwards and tries to smooth down his hair.

"Now, down to business." Ciel motions to Sebastian with one hand. "This is Sebastian. I've decided to help him out as a racer. The car he's picked will need to be souped up. That's where you two," he motions to Bard and Finny, "come in. It already has a V8, but it needs a little more of a kick. I want NOS, I want whatever you can get under the hood to make it go. It's at 470 HP right now, but I need more. No matter the price, no matter what it takes. You do it." He points to Nina. "PR. You get his name out, tell people that he beat Lau in his first race at the LL. Tell people he'll be in the streets soon. Tell them that Funtom is backing him." Lastly, Ciel turns to Agni and Soma. "He needs location. He needs competitors. Anyone, anywhere. From Hatagaya to Hikawa-Shimbashi. Starting in Shibuya is smarter until he's been properly trained."

Sebastian stands stiffly - Ciel is really going to do this, is really going to make him great.

"Can do, boss!" Nina chirps, giving a two-fingered salute before she skips out of the warehouse and to her car. 

"I'll do whatever you want, Ciel." Soma looks at the boy expectantly, as if he's waiting for something. Whatever he wants, Ciel doesn't give, and the two men leave without another word. 

Finny and Bard are already working: the burlier blond fiddling away at something underneath the car, the smaller blond typing away at the computer with a phone tucked between his ear and shoulder. Ciel nods approvingly at them before turning to Sebastian, hands behind his back.

"You said your father wasn't allowing you to even think of cars because of what happened back in England, correct?"

"Yes, you're right."

He lets his head lower minutely. "When does he expect you back?"

"By ten tonight. He's at work for most of the day, so it's fine if I'm out until then."

Ciel moves away slightly, jaw working like he's upset. "Do you have his phone number? I'll call him, tell him that you're staying over at my apartment. Joint junior-senior project for a class."

"My father isn't easily persuaded," Sebastian says, pulling out the flip-phone that the man in question had bought him as some sort of welcoming present. He hands it over to Ciel, who presses it to his ear and steps away, just out of Sebastian's range of earshot. 

A minute passes: Ciel is talking and pacing.

Two minutes pass: Ciel is laughing.

Three minutes pass: Ciel is pacing again.

Four minutes pass: Ciel is nodding.

Five minutes pass: Ciel is hanging up and walking back to Sebastian.

"He wasn't very hard to persuade," the boy says, returning the phone. "He's fine with it. He was actually a little in awe that his son would become friends with the son of the founder of his favorite car company. He told me about your situation, and said that you weren't allowed to even be near cars. I told him that you wouldn't be, of course. I told him that we'd be doing homework we were assigned the day before and that you'd be home safely tomorrow."

Sebastian lifts a brow.

"You're very convincing."

"I'm aware." He pads away, over to Finny. "Call that parts shop out in Kanagawa." The blond nods and dials another number, memorized by heart. Ciel circles the car, like a tiger in a cage. "This is going to work out well, Sebastian. I can assure you that. I can also assure you that for every win, I will never take any of your earnings."

Sebastian glances behind him, where the boy is. "What do you mean?"

"All the money that's bet that you win, I won't touch. When you race for pinks, I won't keep the cars. Everything you win, it's yours."

"Are you sure?"

Ciel pauses in his circling.

"Of course I'm sure. I don't say or do anything if I'm not 100% sure in my standing on it." He runs a finger over the mirror of the Jag, blue eye meeting Sebastian's. His pale lips part to reveal milk white teeth that are perfectly straight, like carefully aligned floor tiles. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life." 

 

 


	3. Dekishi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Car detail, practice, and a surprise meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm loving this fic a lot so far. i actually marathoned the fast and furious movies last night for inspiration.
> 
> hope everyone is well.
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

By night fall, Finny and Bard have found parts, have put parts into the car, have ordered parts. To watch them move so fast, it makes Sebastian's head spin. He doesn't think he could be a mechanic. Ciel lazily flicks through the pages of a phone book for nearly an hour until Bard wheels himself out from underneath the hood. 

"You're going to Undertaker's tonight, right? Are you taking the Jag?" He glances at the spare parts laying around on the floor. "Took out a lot more than I thought. It won't be ready tonight, Boss."

"That's fine. We'll be taking a different car, anyways. Thank you for being considerate, Bard - but that still does not give you to right to smoke around the cars." The blond hisses out a laugh and grounds the cigarette into the ground. "Sebastian, are you up for taking out a Mustang? It's a Shelby GT350."

Sebastian nods, hands in his pockets. He's twitchy at the thought of racing. 

"Good. We'll be leaving now. Bard, Finny: I expect everything to be wrapped up by tomorrow morning. I'll give an extension for the ordered parts, but the majority of it needs to be finished by the time we're here tomorrow."

The two blonds give verbal agreements and continue on with their work while Sebastian follows Ciel out of the warehouse. 

"There's no way they can finish by tomorrow, right? It's impossible."

Ciel doesn't turn to look his way, keeps walking instead. 

"If I thought they wouldn't be able to get work in on a timely manner - get it in on a time I set, then I wouldn't have chosen them for the job. Baldroy knows his way around a car, inside and out. He can take them apart and put them back together from scratch. Finnian can list any stock item part from the top of his head and has memorized all the numbers of the part shops around the world. If I thought that they couldn't do the impossible, I wouldn't have picked them. Do not think so little of me. It's degrading." He hands Sebastian a set of keys as they walk into the garage.

The Mustang is bright yellow with two thin red stripes down the sides. Ciel gets into the passenger side gracefully, and watches Sebastian as he does the same. The car smells like clean leather and oil. All of Ciel's cars are immaculately clean, no lingering scent of old fries, or the tell-tale sign that someone's even driven the car before. They all look brand new, never driven.

"We're going out to Mita. It's in Minato. If you follow the Yamanote line all the way to the Namboku line's 3rd station, we'll be there shortly. I can direct you if you'd like, or you can use the GPS."

Sebastian's grip tightens on the steering wheel. He wants to trust Ciel, wants to basically devote himself to the boy after all he's done for him. "Tell me where to go."

Ciel's lips move ever so slightly as he leans into the seat. 

"As you wish."

-

Mita in Minato is a sloping terrain consisting of twisting and turning roads dotted by vines and bushes and hotels.

"Keep driving until you see signs for the third district. That's where we'll be - in Hebizaka."

Sebastian thinks about his translation book at home, and continues driving up an incline. "Hebizaka? That means... Snake Hill, right?" 

Ciel's reflection is visible in the window - he's smiling; not one of those smirks he keeps handing out, but a real smile. "Very good," he muses, tilting his head ever so slightly to look at Sebastian. "Can you turn the heat on? It's freezing." There are goosebumps on the exposed parts of his thin wrists. Sebastian fiddles with the heat until Ciel holds up a hand to stop him. "That's fine," he says, "thank you."

-

Undertaker stands in front of his car: a long, black Hearse with a tiny skull fixed to the hood. His hair is pulled back into some sort of loose ponytail but his bangs are still long and loose. They rustle in the window, giving hints and glimpses of features. Ciel grits his teeth when they get out of the car. 

"It's freezing," he reiterates, tugging the sleeves of his sweater down past his fingertips. "Undertaker, let me sit it your car while Sebastian drives."

The gray haired male flinches and steps backwards minutely. "Of course, little lord." He tosses the keys to Ciel, who unlocks the Hearse and takes a seat. "Now, Sebastian, was it? I've been awaiting this all day. You see, I have a very soft spot for talented individuals. That's why I'm so interested in our little Phantomhive. He's a very unique person - I've never known anyone to be as strong-willed as he. It's amazing." Sebastian looks at Ciel through the tinted window to see him warming his hands in front of the vent. "A very interesting person, indeed."

He claps his hands together. "Now! Let's get down to business, shall we? I chose this spot due to it's geographical location. Lots of turns and slopes, not very many people. It's excellent for you to show me if Ciel has correctly placed his judgement or not."

Sebastian moves back to the car, stomach nervous. He's hardly ever nervous - but now he is. With Ciel and this man watching, he's outrageously nervous. 

The engine revs and rattles in the hollow of his chest, something warm and comfortable and familiar. It makes him feel whole as he slowly drives away from them, watching the Hearse get smaller in the rear-view mirror. And that's when he floors it. Even fiddles with the radio for a second until it's playing rap riddled with Japanese lyrics and curse words. He's not much of a music guy - sometimes classical is tolerable - but right now, it feels so right. Sebastian swings around a curve, a warm feeling rising up, up, up into his chest like a flame as he streaks South, back towards the Hearse. 

He passes it by a mile, pressing 184. The music is suddenly blaring, and Sebastian feels like laughing - like screaming. It's unlike him, but _goddamn_ , he's never felt more alive. He thinks about his father, thinks about crashing the car into his father's apartment. Sebastian puts the car into reverse and spins the wheel, turning back towards Ciel and Undertaker. He parks it smoothly, inches away from the Hearse. 

"Well, well, well," Undertaker cackles as Sebastian switches the radio off and climbs out of the Mustang. "Looks like the little prince was right. Your driving is absolutely exquisite. A little shaky on the drifting, but other than that, it's handbook. That little trick you did in reverse, was that just to show off? Or was that all you?"

"It was the car," Sebastian says, despite him, "I let it do what it wanted."

"Good answer. Interesting," Undertaker notes, opening the door to the Hearse. 

Ciel looks irritated. "Close the door. It's cold."

"He's good, Phantomhive. You were right. Forgive me for doubting you."

The smallest of the three males moves towards the Mustang and climbs in, but not before saying, "I told you that he was good. I told you I don't pick people I don't deem worthy. Let's go, Sebastian. I'll give you directions back to my apartment."

-

Ciel's apartment is much nicer than Sebastian's father's: it's neat and clean, there are four separate rooms (as opposed to one and a half), and there's real walking around room. He lets Sebastian in, tells him that he can take his shoes and jacket off and sit on the couch. Sebastian complies and waits in silence until Ciel returns, dressed in loose pajama bottoms and a sweatshirt, nearly two sizes too big, that boasts the name of Weston college. He pads over to the couch and takes a seat, legs folded neatly. 

He flips through the channels on the television before settling for something dark and dramatic, with plenty - if not too many - pan outs and zoom ins. The shaky angles make Sebastian's stomach hurt after a while. 

"Undertaker has high hopes for you," Ciel says during a commercial for something - Sebastian isn't sure what, but then again, he's been too busy watching the way that Ciel's lips move accordingly with the feelings in the scenes in the show; been too busy noticing how bony his ankles, wrists, and hands are; been too busy noticing how slender the nape of his neck is and how sharp the bends of his knees are.

"That's good, isn't it?"

"Very good." He straightens his legs out along the length of the couch. Sebastian notices how small the boy's feet are. "Very good, indeed. If the others have pulled through, you may even be able to start racing by the middle of the week. Of course, we may have to continue lying to your father." Ciel glances at Sebastian briefly - a quick flash of sapphire to crimson. "If you have no qualms with that, of course."

Sebastian smiles gently. "I don't. I've been lying to my father since I was twelve. A few more lies won't hurt."

Ciel is silent for a moment or two, but then speaks again. "You're not afraid of hurting him, are you? Your father, I mean."

"No, I'm not. I'm not afraid of hurting anyone, or of getting hurt. It's easier that way - moving around all the time - if I don't get attached to anyone." There is a subtle nod from the couch, and then everything is very still, very quiet. The clock on the wall marks that it's a little after midnight. Ciel looks tired, and Sebastian can feel his own eyes begin to get heavy. "Do - do you mind if I sleep on the couch?" he asks, rather timidly. Ciel makes an amused sound in his throat. 

"I have an extra futon in my bedroom. You're more than welcome to use it, if you'd like."

"If it isn't too much trouble."

"If it were trouble, I wouldn't have suggested it, would I?"

-

Ciel's room is cold and dark. It suits him, from the royal blue curtains and comforter on his bed, to the stark white walls. It's very clean, pristine. It smells like cinnamon and freshly washed sheets. The futon is set up a few steps away from the bed and is smoothed out carefully by Sebastian before he shrugs out of his leather jacket.

"Would you like to borrow some clothes?"

Sebastian turns to look at Ciel, who is studying him curiously. He'd forgotten to bring clothes. He'd forgotten to bring anything that even remotely resembled homework or anything related to school. The black eye patch he wears has been replaced by a pale white one that isn't as nice looking. 

"I doubt they'd fit."

"Nonsense. They will, trust me." He's also discarded the sweatshirt for a large t-shirt that hangs nearly to his knees. It has the Funtom brand sketched onto the chest. Ciel brings him a pair of long pajama pants and a plain white shirt, then directs him to a bathroom off to the left, where he changes quickly and returns to the room. The lights are off and Ciel is already in bed once Sebastian makes his way back to the futon. The room is so quiet that the sound is almost deafening - he's so used to the laughter from the old woman's game shows that have lulled him to sleep nearly every night he's been in Japan. 

The roaring sound of a car's engine breaks the silence eventually, and Sebastian feels his heart pick up its pace.

"They're racing," Ciel says quietly. "Soon, you will too. Are you nervous?"

Sebastian doesn't answer immediately. He chews on the question for a second, and then responds with a, "I'm more anxious than nervous. It's a good anxious though. I'm excited."

They lay awake for a while, listening to the sound of screeching tires. Sebastian's skin is warm - too warm. The futon is incredibly soft and smells the way that the rest of the room does. Sebastian wonders if Ciel smells this way as well. That's the thought that sticks with him as he falls asleep, in Ciel's room.

-

"So, it's all finished?"

Finny nods, spinning around in the office chair to face Ciel. "Pretty much, yes. I ran out last night and got all the parts that were in Tokyo. There's a few extra bits floating around in circ from England, but they're mainly just for decoration. So, yes. He can take it out if he wanted to right now."

"He has to go home. I promised his father. But, yes, he could." Ciel motions for Sebastian to follow him - he already is. "He'll be back tomorrow. Tell Nina to tell me what places and contenders she has picked out. Tell her to make posters and put them in the underground."

"What about Soma and Agni?" Bard asks around the stick of a lollipop, his alternative to cigarettes while being in the warehouse. 

Ciel doesn't turn around, instead waves a hand vaguely in the air above his head. 

"Let me deal with them. Tell him that I'll call him later."

 _I'll call him._ Sebastian wonders if it's always been this way with Ciel. Never a _tell him to call me._ He wonders if Ciel has always done what he's wanted, regardless of what others think. He wonders if Ciel is only doing this because others told him it was futile. They're barely back to the garage when Ciel's cell phone rings, the muffled tinkling sound of wind chimes and bells emanating from his pocket. 

His jaw sets, and Sebastian catches it - even if it's a subtle movement. 

"Damn her," he says before pressing the sleek black iPhone to his ear. "Hello, Aunt An. Yes. Yes, I'm busy." He motions for Sebastian to get into the car. "It's nothing. No. Yes, I understand. Yes. I'll check. Yes, yes. Okay." Ciel's voice pitches slightly. _He's irritated_ , Sebastian thinks. The tense set of the boy's narrow shoulders confirms this thought, and Sebastian finds himself smirking as he climbs into the car. He likes seeing Ciel like this - wants to see him come unraveled. 

When he gets into the passenger seat, Ciel is ever quiet. He doesn't even ask for Sebastian to turn the heat on. 

Sebastian would like to ask if he's okay, but he doesn't. Instead, he asks something along the lines of, "How will we keep lying to my father if I drive this home?"

Ciel chuckles. 

"Good question. I should've thought of that." He retrieves the phone again and presses a button. "Baldroy, would you please come out to the garage? Sebastian needs to go home, and strictly speaking, he's not allowed to even think about cars." The blue eye slides his way. Sebastian feels uneasy. "Thank you." He hangs up and opens the door to get out and climb in the back. "Please, sit in the passenger seat. I'd like you to experience Baldroy's driving first hand."

-

Awful.

Bard is a heavy-footed, awful driver. 

What Ciel wanted him to experience, Sebastian doesn't know. All he experienced is an upset stomach and a bruise on his temple from being slammed into the seat belt rest of the Escalade. 

He manages to get out without anymore injuries and is almost to the door of his father's apartment when Ciel gets out as well. "I'd like to meet your father," he says, making Sebastian turn slowly, brows raised. 

"Are you sure?"

It's a flashback of yesterday. Sebastian feels like he's going to throw up.

"I'm sure. I'd like to pay my respects to him. I'd like to thank him for letting you stay out yesterday. What kind of host would I be if I just let you leave without making my presence known?"

Ciel looks slightly intimidating, all dark clothes and hair and icy skin. Even if he is small, he's intimidating. Sebastian takes a deep breath and opens the door to his apartment. 

"Dad? There's someone out here that wants to meet you."


	4. Kurou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A race, a confrontation, and weird thoughts that probably shouldn't be happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello!! i hope everyone liked the latest update.
> 
> kinda nervous about them meeting
> 
> kinda nervous about this whole situation
> 
> (also special shout out to snowdroppanda. thank you very much for your comments ^^ they mean a lot) 
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

Sebastian's father is tall and slender, practically the spitting image of his son. Same wine colored eyes, bright white teeth, coal black hair. He stands in the doorway to the tiny apartment, shoulders filling it out. He's wearing an ill-fitting white button-down and dress pants with a coffee stain on the knee. He doesn't smile. 

"Hello, Mr. Michaelis," Ciel says in his cleanest Japanese, "it's a pleasure to meet you."

"I speak English," is all the man says before turning around and retreating into the depths of the apartment. There's tatami on the floor. Ciel glances at Sebastian, who has already taken his shoes off and set them by the door. He does the same and follows the taller male into the home. 

Sebastian doesn't speak to his father; goes directly to a door just across from the front and slips inside. 

"Mr. Michaelis,"Ciel tries again, in English this time, "thank you for letting me borrow Sebastian yesterday. We got a lot of work done. I may need to borrow him again tomorrow, but I can assure you that -"

"You're Vincent Phantomhive's son, correct?"

Sebastian's father is seated in front of a tiny television with rabbit ears. It's set up on a reinforced TV tray that refrains from wobbling or falling over. Ciel makes a sound of agreement, moving to stand at the front of the couch where he can see the man.

"Yes, I am."

"My son is a big fan of Funtom. Shame about your parents." His eyes, the same shade as Sebastian's, slide to Ciel. "I assume he's told you about what happened back in England, correct? About the cars, I mean."

Ciel puts on his best face, which he can only hope is happy. "Yes, he has. Don't worry. I'm not going to go against your wishes and let him drive or anything. I just wanted him to feel welcome. It's always difficult being new in a place where you don't know anyone and can't speak the language very well. I do hope I haven't offended you."

The man doesn't respond for a while, only glances at his phone when it buzzes against the arm of the cramped couch.

"That's all fine and well, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave," he says, standing up to retrieve a tie from where it has been thrown onto a counter. "I've got to go back to work, and I'm sure you and Sebastian are great friends, but I don't trust him being alone with the son of his favorite car company. I hope you don't take it personally." He loops the tie around his neck and Ciel watches as he neatly knots it with very deft fingers. The man resembles Sebastian in nearly every way - mannerisms included. Same quiet demeanor with something almost predatorial tacked behind it. Same mouth: rarely smiling. Same thin shoulders and long legs. Ciel doesn't move until the man breezes past him.  

"I don't take it personally at all," Ciel says while both leaving the house and taking it very personally.

-

The next few days, the two don't speak. Alois tags along behind Ciel; Sebastian nearly drops his tray on the floor during lunch. Ciel falls asleep instead of doing his homework; Sebastian stays up all night.

After school on Wednesday, Sebastian finds Ciel in the student parking lot, standing by a cream colored Saab. It's much more mundane than the cars that Sebastian had seen in the garage, like Ciel is trying to blend in with everyone else. Sebastian doesn't like it.

"Get in the car," is all the boy says, dangling the keys from his index finger.

"I have to go home," Sebastian tries to argue, arms hanging loosely at his side. "My father -"

Ciel's lips twitch into something mimicking a smile. 

"I called him. He's fine with you coming home with me, but said you have to be back by 11. And remember, no cars." Ciel tosses the keys to Sebastian, who catches them against his chest. "The car's ready, and you've got an opponent. 9 o'clock tonight, the backstreets of 109." He smirks as he moves to the other side of the car. "Look at you, one race and you've already made it to the streets." Ciel's eye cuts to Sebastian before he slips into the passenger seat. His voice lowers reasonably as he says something in Japanese that the other male doesn't catch, that he can't translate. 

"Let's go," Ciel says when Sebastian doesn't move, more exhausted than anything. "We're going straight to the garage." He loosens his tie and stuffs into his school bag, looking reasonably relaxed now.

-

Bard stands in front of the car, a wide smile stretching his face. Finny still resides at the computer, a cell phone pressed against his ear. He's speaking, but Sebastian can't understand the language; sounds a little like French. 

"I souped it up as much as I could. NOS, new paint, the whole shebang. I hope it rides good, though." He wrings his hands nervously, glancing at Sebastian Ciel's face for looks of approval, of disappointment, of anything. The blue paint is replaced by black, with only two thin pinstripes of the original color across each side. Bard shifts from foot to foot. "There's also a little surprise that was supposed to be for tonight, but I guess you could see it now if you wanted to, I mean..."

Ciel gives a tight lipped smile. "It's fine. We'll just see it tonight."

"Why did you change the color?" Sebastian asks, pulling away from where he had been inspecting the car. 

Bard shifts again, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Dunno... seemed fittin' for you. Do you not like it?"

"It's flawless. Even better than I expected."

The blond's face flushes with color as he laughs, waving a hand in the air vaguely. "No, 's not that good... but it means a lot to hear you say that. Thanks, Sebastian."

Finny swivels around in his office chair, chewing on the end of a pencil. His hair is in disarray and the bags underneath his eyes assert that he hasn't slept in a few days. "Nina said that she put up posters all around 109, too. Someone's supposed to take 'em down tonight. Soma, I think."

"She's got the prince doing grunt work?" Bard asks, scratching behind his ear before picking up a baseball cap with a bent bill and placing it on top of his head. "Nina is truly a goddess."

Ciel grimaces. "She's a PR person, not a goddess. And as for Soma, he's not a prince. If anything, he's irritating." He glances at Finny, who yawns lazily. "Has Mey-rin thoroughly checked his competitor? I need to know who they are before hand so I'll have a good reasoning in letting him practice early or not."

"Yeah, it's Chamber. Y'know, the king of Harajuku?"

"You're kiddin' me!" Bard exclaims, mouth dropped open. "Is that a smart move?"

Ciel's shoulders are set in a way that Sebastian should not find intriguing, but, _Dear God_ , he does.

"It's not smart," he starts, but Sebastian hastily cuts him in a way unlike himself.

"I want to do it. If it's a challenge, I want to do it."

"He's tough," Ciel argues, voice raising slightly. "He'll defeat you, and no one will ever want to watch you race again. Do you want to put yourself through this, even though you're just starting out?"

Sebastian's jaw sets. "I do."

"Fine. Do as you wish."

-

 Sebastian's hands sweat as he pulls into the middle of the crowd that's swamped a wide expanse of alley behind the shopping district of 109 in Shibuya. He thinks about his first trip to the glitzy place, a little over a week ago. His stomach clenches and Ciel gets out of the car, motioning for the driver to do the same. 

Alois, the blond that had been hanging around Ciel at the first race, is already there, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. There's a metal box in his hands, rattling and jingling with the promise of bills and yen. He takes a deep breath and makes his way back to Ciel, whose visible eye is narrowed significantly. Sebastian looks to where the boy is focused, only to see a blond man surrounded by women, who are screeching and cooing in Japanese. 

"Is that him?" Sebastian asks, mouth suddenly close to Ciel's ear. The shorter boy jumps and looks back at him, teeth grit. 

"I'm going to buy you a bell," he threatens, before crossing his arms and continuing, "Yes, that's Chamber. He also goes by Druitt, but that's only for his special clients. He's a disgusting man. He'll try to get into your head, but don't let him. He may not seem very smart, but if you even give him an inch - it's over." 

The man in question looks in their direction and a knowing smile spreads across his face as he pushes past the women that have gathered and makes his way over to Ciel and Sebastian. He's tall, nearly as tall as Sebastian, with ash blond hair and eyes that are almost lavender. He smiles, but it's not really much of a smile. Something much more menacing and threatening.

"So," he begins in a voice that doesn't match the rest of his features, "you're the one I've heard so much about. Sebastian, was it? My name is Aleister Chamber. It's seems we're going to be racing one another." It bothers Sebastian that the man is talking in English for some reason, irritates him to the core. Chamber's eyes move to the Jaguar situated behind Ciel and Sebastian. He whistles lowly, a smirk on his face. "Nice ride. Is it yours?" The lavender orbs flick to Ciel. "Or yours, little robin?"

Ciel's lips part in a grimace. 

"Don't ever call me -"

"It's mine," Sebastian interjects before Ciel can get too excited, and watches as the boy's shoulders settle back into place.

Chamber grins again. "I hope you've got your money's worth out of it already, because by the time this race is over - you'll never be able to use it again."

Ciel bristles, but Alois' arms are suddenly around him, laughing loudly. "Cut the shit, Phantomhive," he whispers quietly in Ciel's hair, eyes narrowed. "Get the race started." There's movement as Ciel excuses himself and Sebastian is left still standing by Chamber.

"Well, Sebastian," Chamber says, handing him a folded up slip of paper. "May the best man win."

Sebastian unfolds it to see a poster with his face on it. _Nina must've made this,_ he thinks before folding it back up and sticking it into his back pocket. 

"Don't worry," the younger male smoothly says as he turns away, "I intend to."

-

Chamber's car is smooth and quiet: a canary yellow Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4. 

They sidle up to one another, each revving and purring. Sebastian had seen the man once again before the race, sly and sneaky - like a cat - sliding around to where the same bored looking girl from the first race was: he'd dropped a wad of cash into the steel box.

Sebastian's stomach clenches as the aforementioned girl stands between the two cars, arms lazily raised as she announces the start of the race and he streaks out of place, past Chamber's Lambo, further into the street. The other car is close behind, roaring to life as it manages to zip past the Jaguar, much to Sebastian's surprise. He curses under his breath and presses the clutch, switching into fifth as he catches up to Chamber at a particularly sharp curve - a curve that he passes and Chamber clips barely, catching the side of his car on the concrete wall. 

People are screaming, are moving so quickly that they blur - but they're still so far away. Sebastian is actually _afraid_ , afraid that he'll lose, that Ciel will hate him, that all of this will have been for naught. His thumbs twitch at the NOS buttons fixed to the steering wheel as he ruminates on pressing them or not. There's a low rumble from behind him. The yellow car streaks behind the Jag, and Sebastian's heart shudders as they come a few centimeters away from touching, nose to tail. 

And that's when he does it: slams the buttons down as hard as he can and clenches his teeth together before rocketing away from Chamber, pushed back into his seat. A blue light emanates from somewhere in or underneath or around the car - most likely Bard's surprise. 

By the end of the race, Sebastian is left panting and agitated. He's won, but only by a second. 

"Too close," Ciel tells him when they're headed back to Sebastian's father's apartment. "Much too close. You'll start training with others from now on, after school. Tell your father whatever you have to. Tell him that you've joined clubs, that you have extracurricular activities. The next time you've got that much money stapled to your name, I expect you to win by a landslide. Do you understand me?"

"I do," Sebastian says, struggling to not look at Ciel. When the boy gets irritated like that and raises his voice, his pale cheeks flush. It's really very amusing.

"Simply understanding isn't good enough," Ciel continues, rubbing at the back of his head. "I'll get Nina on asking around about old racers - maybe she can talk to the Gods. I'm sure that a handful of has-been's would love to mentor you."

The sarcasm dripping from Ciel's voice makes Sebastian press the gas pedal a little harder than intended as he makes a loop around his apartment complex and parks the car a block away.

"Sorry that I can't take you home," he says, unbuckling his seat belt. 

Ciel shifts and his fingers, cool and slender, curl around Sebastian's wrist before the latter can move.

"Despite what I said, you raced very well tonight. I'm proud. Many people seemed against me taking on a nobody new kid from England and being this... generous to them, but I knew it could be done. I knew that you'd prove them wrong." He reaches to get the long-forgotten box in the back seat. "You deserve every yen. There's even more than there was the last race, did you notice? More people, a bigger opponent." The metal is cold against Sebastian's too warm hands, and he slides it into his school bag, for fear of his father still being awake. The digital clock on the dash says that it's a little after 10. He's early. 

Sebastian tries to not pay attention to the way that Ciel's fast is cast half in shadows, illuminating his features. 

Pale pink lips, long lashes, one bright blue eye, silky black eye patch. 

He swallows and doesn't let his eyes drop any lower than the notch of skin between the boy's prominently protruding collarbones. 

"Thanks," is all he says before getting out of the car and walking away as quickly as he can, back to his father, who's already waiting for him.


	5. Yoku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meetings, vacations in motion, weird boy feelings, unexpected troubles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hnnnnggggg i love this fic so much!!! i'm learning so much about cars too. like when i'm on the bus home, i keep finding myself looking at the brands and types of cars and recognizing most of them - all thanks to the research i've been doing for it.
> 
> happy holidays!!
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

"When you said you wanted to meet, I didn't think you really meant it," Chamber says demurely, one hand tucked underneath his chin. Ciel sits in front of him, lazily sipping at a cup of hot chocolate, sweet and slightly sticky. They have school off - some teacher work day or something, he isn't really sure what. He had called Chamber at 10, telling the man that they had to meet, had to discuss last night's race. 

"If I hadn't meant it, I wouldn't have offered the thought."

Ciel taps at his cell phone, not looking at the other, older man, who is eyeing him curiously. 

"Sebastian is a very talented driver," he says, still not looking up.

"I'm aware," Chamber agrees, running a finger around the rim of his coffee mug, lavender eyes on the table. "He only beat me on the turn, you know. If I had caught it in time, I surely would've -"

"You wouldn't have won either way," Ciel interjects, suddenly making eye contact with the man across from him. "You wouldn't have won. He may seem young and inexperienced, but he's wonderful. Perhaps even better than the old men that my father used to train with. He's been in Japan for almost a week or two - you raced him, you've seen how much potential he has."

There's a lull in all conversation in the cafe. It's still cold outside, so Ciel is dressed relatively warmer than usual: a thick, fisherman knit sweater with dark jeans, boots, and a cream colored scarf. It reminds him of the sweater that Sebastian had worn the day before. He looked good in the color. He'd been thinking about the race nearly all night - had replayed the image of Sebastian coming out of the car, all eyes and teeth and hands. He had looked so proud, so sure of himself. Ciel had thought about the way that he looked going into the apartment, all eyes and teeth and hands. He had looked so nervous, so unsure of himself. He had probably thought his father would know - would be able to smell the scent of cars and leather and sweat and victory on him, and Ciel knew that that scared Sebastian.

He shifts in his seat, glancing at Chamber. 

"He wanted to race you, you know. Even after I told him that you were a well-weathered racer, he was still chomping at the bit." 

Chamber's lips move gently, tugged at the corners suddenly. "Was he, now? How interesting. He is very talented, as you said." His lids lower so far so that only a short glimmer can be seen through his lashes. "You have hope in him, don't you? That's not a very common thing to see lately - that sort of trust. It's very interesting." He licks his top teeth in a way that Ciel imagines he thinks is attractive. "Every year, I host a party. Around the holidays, which are coming up. This year, it's a masquerade party. Costumes, masks, dresses: everything. I'd like it if you and Sebastian attended."

Unease settles in Ciel's stomach.

"He's not the type to go to something as frivolous as that -"

"Please consider," Chamber continues, glancing at something out the corner of his eye. "It may let you experience something you won't ever forget."

-

Ciel spends almost the rest of the day ruminating on Chamber's offer. There's something off about the man, be it his hidden motives or his sudden movements - something just isn't right. The way his eyes follow and trace and flicker: they're nothing like Sebastian's. Chamber is nothing like Sebastian. The latter is much more subtle and sinister and lecherous - like a hunter, like an animal. He makes Ciel uneasy, but also makes him feel minutely safe. Like if something were to happen, he'd be there.

The junior rolls over on his stomach, legs bent upwards at the knee, and picks up his phone. 

He'd gotten Sebastian's phone number from Finnian, who was always more than willing to share information.

His finger hovers over the call button, almost nervously. Ciel is never nervous, never one to second guess himself. He hits call and presses the phone to his ear. It rings twice, and then Sebastian picks up.

"Hello?" he says in his neatest Japanese, and Ciel almost smiles. The boy is trying so hard to fit in, to learn. It's sort of desperate; it makes Ciel excited.

"It's me. I wanted to congratulate you on last night. You seemed more nervous than usual. Care to enlighten me as to why?"

There's a pause. "I wasn't."

"You were," the junior snaps, sitting up, shoulders back, "Finnian said that you had ignored him when he called you - he nearly came to the shop in tears. Did something happen? With your father, I mean. You got back on time, didn't you?"

Another pause before Sebastian lets out a small sigh. 

"It's fine, nothing happened. My mother called and said that she might be visiting or something."

Ciel thinks of his over-attached aunt and her many attempts to get him to visit her in France.

"Is that a problem?"

"My parents got divorced when I was young, so I never saw my father very much. She hates him, I know she does. If she does come, it's because she wants to check up on me and nit-pick at him."

Ciel thinks of Chamber's party and of something more drastic. 

"What if I said I had two propositions for you? One to take your mind off of everything, and the other to get you away from everything?"

-

Sebastian's brow furrows as he looks at Ciel, who looks at him expectantly. "Are you serious?"

"I'm always serious. However, I'm more serious about my second request. I honestly don't care much for Chamber, and I'm fairly certain that he knows that. He won't miss us very much if we don't attend his party. Anyway, the people there will most likely be as heinous and gaudy as he is." There's a pause, and Ciel drops his eyes to Sebastian's lips, which are surprisingly quirked. They're pale, just like the rest of him, with a high arching Cupid's bow.

He frowns. "What's so interesting?"

"You really don't care for Chamber, do you?"

"What tipped you off? Was it my verbal disregard for anything he has to say? Or was it my use of 'heinous' and 'gaudy'?" 

"Perhaps a mix of both, but that's not really what I want to talk about." He props his elbows up on the marble table, learning across it so far that he's nearly nose to nose with Ciel. "France? Are you serious?"

Ciel pulls away, like he's offended. 

"Yes, I am," he says, sounding almost exasperated. "My aunt invites me there every year, without missing a beat. It's tiresome really, but I feel like if I indulge her this one time, she won't bother me as much. Now, as for where you come in - it's hard to see your parents fight with one another if you aren't even in the same country, correct?"

Sebastian's hands are busy tearing a napkin into tiny pieces. Ciel doesn't have it in him to stop the senior - he's noticed Sebastian's nervous habits. Whenever the boy is around cars, he flexes his hands, furls them into fists. His hands are greedy, are nervous. That excites Ciel for some reason. He likes the way that Sebastian's knuckles are prominent underneath his pale skin.

"Well, I mean, yes, but wouldn't that be expensive?"

"Money isn't an object, if you haven't noticed."

He scoffs, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Trust me, I've noticed. But how will I tell my father? He hardly even lets me out of the house. I've got school, he wants me to work. There's not really any free time."

Ciel shifts in his seat, glancing at another patron of the restaurant. It's a few blocks away from the start of Golden Gai in Shinjuku, all neat and quaint, hosting its plethora of artists and street musicians at every turn. It's quiet, private. He doesn't understand why he wants to take Sebastian somewhere private or secluded, just does. Doesn't want to share him with anyone else, maybe.

"How many times do I have to tell you," he starts, enunciating each word carefully, "that I am very persuasive. Winter break is coming up soon, which means no school. Aunt An will buy your ticket and everything. In fact, I think she'd be even more pleased if I brought a friend. She's been worried about me ever since my parents died, and she dotes on me very often. Maybe she feels inclined to take my mother's place or something - I'm not exactly sure."

Sebastian's lips curve downwards.

"The Phantomhive fire, right? I heard about that a news a few years back. How old were you?"

Ciel sighs, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. "I was either 10 or 12. I can't actually remember. Must've blocked it out or something, somewhere along the line." He straightens up. "Now, if you do go to France with me, we may have to put this whole racing thing on hold for a few days. We wouldn't be there very long." There's a pause, and then Ciel makes a face, one of realization. "Perhaps you could just race there! Your father would never know, there'd be no restrictions, new competition, new terrain. It's a marvelous idea!"

"I suppose I could think about it."

"Yes, please do. I'll tell Chamber that we decline his request. I hope he's furious."

"Are you sure you can convince my father?"

Ciel turns his one visible eye to Sebastian. 

"I can convince anyone of anything."

-

It's dark by the time Sebastian gets home, and he manages to avoid his father long enough to slip into his makeshift room and change into a pair of sweatpants and a plain t-shirt. He settles into his futon, neck craned in an awkward angle against the pillow as he flips his phone open. It chimes as he does, followed by a tiny dancing animated rabbit on the tiny screen. _How embarrassing._

He thinks about Ciel's proposition. His father would never let him go - if he asks, it will all be for naught. 

Ciel always stresses how persuasive he is, which isn't to say that Sebastian doesn't think that he is, but it just seems so surreal. _There's no way this trip will happen_ , Sebastian thinks, stretching his legs out along the length of the futon. The woman next door chatters along excitedly in Japanese to the theme song of whatever game show she's watching. He lets his head drop backwards as he burrows deeper underneath the thick blanket.

_But, God, do I hope it will_. 

-

Ciel looks positively posh standing outside Sebastian's apartment, beside the usual Escalade, a scarf tugged up around his face. He's wearing a thick coat that's a navy blue color, paired with dark jeans, thick soled shoes, and a thin, white, long sleeved shirt. Under the scarf, his cheeks are flushed, and his hands are dove deep into his pockets. 

"You look cold," Sebastian notes, opening the car door for him.

"Hurry up. People with asthma shouldn't be in the cold for very long."

"Didn't know you had asthma - sorry."

Ciel's fingers touch at the underside of Sebastian's wrist for the smallest of seconds: an intimate, fleeting gesture that makes Sebastian flinch gently.

"It's not your fault. You didn't know. Just be more careful next time."

Sebastian looks down and hurries to the driver's side of the car, glancing back at his apartment. His father had left early in the morning, just like he always did, making it easier for Sebastian to chauffeur the tiny prince to school. He's quick to turn the heat on, without even Ciel saying so, and glances in the rearview mirror as he pulled away from the curb and into the street, one hand resting on the headrest of Ciel's seat when he looks out the back window. Ciel's shoulders are thin and narrow and don't even extend to the outer edges of the seat.

He smiles and tries not to think about how small the boy is. Instead, Sebastian makes a left and drives to school, where they pass a series of ambulances and fire trucks. Bard and Finny and Mey-rin are already waiting in the parking lot for them.

They all look worried, shoulders set in straight lines, each wearing an identical disgruntled mask of the other.

"What's wrong?" Ciel asks once he's out of the car, one hand shielding his eyes from the bright winter sun.

Mey-rin shifts, wringing her hands nervously.

"Boss, eh..." her words in English trail off when she looks at Sebastian. The flustered redhead glances down, quickly switching to Japanese. He can't understand most of what she's saying, speaking too fast, too rushed, too impatiently. Sebastian picks out a few words, nothing too difficult: father, car, fire. He definitely catches the way that Ciel's body stiffens, the way his shoulders pull back, the way he turns to look at Sebastian, mouth ajar.

He doesn't miss the way Ciel rambles on, something about his father? _Whose father? My father? My father._

His school bag slips from his fingers and falls to the asphalt of the student parking lot.

His knees are quick to follow.

Ciel is suddenly there as well, hands stroking, soothing, smoothing against his hair, face, back. He's cooing, murmuring - this was probably done to him when he had found out his parents were dead.

Sebastian's ears ring, ring so loudly that he can hardly hear Ciel. He doesn't feel the boy's fingers on his arm, on his waist, helping him up, leading him into the building and out of the cold. 


	6. Amai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A change in scenery, a change of heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well. that cliffhanger tho. hope you don't hate me. feelin' rushed due to exams so why not have a little lovey dovey time, huh? well, about as lovey dovey as a stoic senior and jaded junior can get, right? and some pain. meaning another not-so-cliffhanger 
> 
> also ... . . i got the dates wrong for the winter break in japan so for this instance please just pretend that it comes before ciel's birthday and christmas. sorry for not paying attention.
> 
> also also i got very very very confused about the time difference between france and japan so just bear with me here
> 
> happy holidays. be safe. stay hydrated kids. love you all
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

Sebastian's father gets out of the hospital the day before winter break starts. He's quiet, different. His voice doesn't carry its usual bite. 

Ciel comes over after school, a small bundle of roses wrapped in plastic gathered into his arms. He looks worried, thin brows drawn together, causing the skin in the center to crinkle gently. Sebastian fights back the urge to poke an index finger between them as he lets the teenager in, reminding him without point to take his shoes off. He nudges Ciel over to the couch, where his father has been laying for almost a week, sullen and distant.

"Mr. Michaelis," he says, motioning to the flowers as he kneels at the side of the couch, "I heard about your accident. A shame, really. Are you all right?"

"I've been better. Did you bring those for me? Give them to Sebastian. He can put them in a vase or something."

Their hands brush during the exchange, but neither comment. Ciel turns back to Sebastian's father while the senior is busy in the tiny kitchen. 

"I've been meaning to ask you something for quite a while, sir. You see, my aunt lives in France, and every year, she invites me out to see her for my birthday, which is in a few days. I'd like to implore you to allow me to bring Sebastian along. She's been very worrisome of me ever since my parents died, and I believe that bringing a friend with me would quell some of her fears. There would be no expenses to you, and I'd be sure to enforce any rules you've imposed. It's simply a token of my appreciation for him being my friend, and for you being so lenient with him working on projects with me and the like."

The old man looks tired, with his legs stretched out and an arm covering his eyes.

No one speaks for a few tense moments. Ciel listens to the sound of Sebastian moving around the kitchen, and then to the sound of his father shifting on the couch, springs creaking under his weight.

"No expense to me, you said? How long would you be gone?"

"Winter break lasts for two weeks starting tomorrow, so I was thinking maybe a week and a half, if that's all right with you. My aunt would show us the sights, perhaps take us to some stores or something. The change of pace may be good for Sebastian as well," he bluffs, letting his voice lower, "He's seemed a little distant lately, hasn't he? Maybe some fresh air will clear his head and he'll be back to his old self."

The man falls silent once more. "I see. Very well, then. Do as you please. The rule about cars still stands, however. Tell your aunt that I'd like to thank her."

Ciel nods and stands, moving into the kitchen where Sebastian is standing, braced against a cabinet. He glances at Ciel, who smirks, quirking two fingers in his direction. When the senior is close enough, Ciel lets his mouth rest next to his ear as he whispers, "Pack your bags. We leave in the morning."

-

Narita Airport is silent and sleepy at five in the morning. Only a few disheveled looking parents toting around tired toddlers remain inside, rubbing eyes and yawning as they wait for their flights. Sebastian and Ciel are seated in front of the Air France terminal, bags already weighed and checked, stomachs relatively full. They'd stopped at a tiny concession stand before heading to the terminal, each ordering a small fruit and yogurt parfait paired with a bottle of water. Ciel looks tired as well, skin paler than usual. He yawns every once in a while.

Sebastian feels nervous, excited, agitated. He hasn't been on a plane since coming here. His knee bounces up and down repeatedly, shaking Ciel's bag from it has pressed against his knee. The boy doesn't open his eyes, nor pick up his head from where he has it angled against the side of Sebastian's chair, and says, "Are you really that nervous? It'll be fine, I promise. If you'd like, I have a few Trazodone in my bag. They help with anxiety."

_If you'd like._ Ciel wants to vomit for being so polite.

"I'm fine, but thank you. I'm not exactly nervous, per say. I'm more excited than nervous, I think. I've never been to France."

Ciel sighs and shifts, sitting up. 

"I went there once as a child. I don't really remember much, but I do know that it's very beautiful. She lives in the countryside; it's nice there. Very beautiful."

He rubs at his good eye and looks at Sebastian before glancing at the clock.

"You know, I've never had very many friends. I've only ever had acquaintances. Even the people that work for me, Mey-rin, Baldroy, and Finnian: they're all acquaintances. If you consider us to be friends, you'll be the first I've had in a while. Aside from Alois, but he's basically a leech with good taste in cars that I can't shake." He pauses, fingers scratching at something on the screen of his phone. "So, even if doesn't mean very much to you, it's important to me. I always tell myself that being with people is easy, but it isn't. Not when you've got my stigma attached to your back. People treat me differently - I'm only the heir of Funtom to them. I'm money. I'm power." He flips through the pages attached to his boarding pass, trying to appear disinterested. "It's nothing new, though. I'm fairly used to it."

Sebastian remains silent, and the two don't talk until their flight is called. Their tickets are first class, which is far nicer than the coach ticket Sebastian had when coming to Japan, stuck between the window and a little old man, stuck in front of a child that wailed and cooed and occasionally kicked his seat.

"I feel bad about your aunt spending so much money," he says after the flight attendant, a bubbly blonde that makes him think vaguely of Finny, explains all of the safety procedures in French as the plane begins to ascend. 

"Please, I already told you that money's no object. Aunt An's rich. She loves to spoil people. If she tries to buy you anything while we're there, just accept it. You'll never hear the end of it if you don't."

Ciel crosses his legs at the knee, slim fingers drumming against the armrest of the chair that is situated between them. 

"You said that your aunt invited you out for your birthday. When is it?"

"It's the day after tomorrow, the fourteenth. I turn seventeen."

Sebastian nods. "How come you haven't visited her before, if she asks you every year?"

"Because it's tedious. She's a tedious woman. Highly overstrung, very loud. She's only serious when it comes to her job. That's the only time I've ever seen her be quiet for more than five minutes. It's a miracle what she can do with a scalpel, however."

A little while later, the flight attendant passes through the aisle with a tiny, jangling cart of drinks and stops by Ciel and Sebastian's row. She says something in French and Ciel responds, making her laugh a little. She passes a small bottle of water to each of them and offers a small smile before moving to the next patch of seats. 

"I didn't know you could speak French," Sebastian notes, opening the water.

"My father taught me. I'm fluent." Ciel lets the water sit in an empty space in his seat. "My father taught me about very many things, but my favorite to learn about was always cars." His good eyes closes as he lets his head rest against the seat. "He could take them apart, identify all of the parts, and put them back together. He could name each car by make, year, and model. He used to make me watch car commercials and see if I could name them all." A small smile crosses Ciel's lips. "If I could go back in time, I'd warn them. I'd tell them to get out of the house."

Sebastian doesn't look at Ciel, instead keeps his eyes focused out the window like he's actually interested in the dark sky barely lit by the tiny dots below.

"Your father is exactly like you," Ciel says after a while of silence, but Sebastian is asleep, head against the window.

-

France is much... greener than Sebastian expected. Granted, Ciel had said they'd be going to the countryside, but still. He'd been prepared for gray skies and sleepy travelers, not flowers and sunshine. It's beautiful. It smells wonderful - the air lacks the gunpowder-y smell of Britain and lacks the fried-food smell of Japan. It smells like grass, like nature.

Ciel has his phone pressed to his ear, talking quickly. _Great, another language I don't understand_ , Sebastian thinks as he waits for the junior to return. He's talking loudly, like he's arguing, words coming a mile a minute. His free hand is held out from his body, palm up like he's confused. After a few more moments of this, Ciel makes a noise of tongue against teeth and hangs up the phone. 

"She's coming," he says, arms crossed. "Apparently, a business partner or something is going to be over later today, so we'll just have to go sight-seeing by ourselves or something. I'll take you to look at some cars, if you'd like."

There it is again - that niceness. _If you'd like._ It sounds whiny in Ciel's ears and he curses himself mentally. He's never been so lenient before: it's always been Ciel's way or no way. He didn't ask, he just did. Bothering him when he had made up his mind warranted only bad things. It warranted distrust, unease, unsettled feelings. 

"I would enjoy that, actually," Sebastian says - which surprises the smaller boy. He'd half been expecting him to turn down the offer, in light of his father's recent car accident. 

Ciel has half a mind to inform the other male of that, of how surprised he is. Instead, he sits down on an airport bench, resting his 12-hour-flight-tired legs and motions for Sebastian to do the same by patting the cold metal with the flat of his palm. The other male complies, his too-long legs not tucking underneath the bench in the way that Ciel's do, which is almost amusing. 

_He's so tall_ , Ciel thinks, turning his head just-so, allowing him to look at Sebastian without being obvious. He's attractive in a subtle way, with his granite features and wine colored eyes that seem to haunt and stalk and prey. Sebastian isn't anything to die for, tall and lanky with no real definitive muscles that people seem to like - but Ciel _likes_ that. He likes that Sebastian is somewhat mundane, somewhat average. He likes that his looks are completely ordinary, however. They're interesting enough to draw someone in, and they do exactly that.

Two girls, both relatively similar in height and build, stop a little ways away, suitcases in tow. They glance at the pair, and whisper to each other quietly in French. Ciel catches the way that Sebastian draws himself up, shoulders itching backwards in a slow pull, legs lengthening out. Ciel scoffs when he realizes what the other male is doing, even if it is subconsciously. 

"You're showing off, you little git," he says quietly, sidling up to Sebastian, close enough to touch him - even though he doesn't. 

The senior glances at him. "What?"

Ciel motions to the girls, who pretend to be interested in one of their phones, both red-eared. 

"You're showing off. It's a subconscious thing - but I still can't believe you'd do it. I thought more highly of you."

"What are you talking about?"

The smaller teen sighs, touching at his eye patch slightly. "The whole you just did - stretching out, trying to appear bigger, taller - as if that were possible, you're already a giant. Just relax. Doing that with your shoulders is bad for them."

"Doing what?"

Ciel sighs and reaches out to push Sebastian's left shoulder down from its rigid position. "You're very unaware of everything, aren't you?"

Sebastian lets his shoulders lower naturally as he looks out into the distance. "All I know is cars."

"I'm aware of that."

-

Ciel's aunt, Angelina, is very loud and dressed all in red. She picks them up about fifteen minutes later in a black Benz that smells like cherries. Ciel sits up front and Sebastian occupies the back. 

"Ciel, it's been so long! You haven't grown very much, have you? Still small as ever!"

She pulls one hand off the steering wheel to tug at Ciel's ear, who complains loudly and bats her hand away. 

"Aunt An, this is Sebastian. Sebastian, this is my aunt, Angelina." 

"Ciel, he can call me Madam Red. You know I prefer that, anyway." 

Ciel glances in the rear view to see Sebastian sitting quietly, hands in his lap, staring out the window. His eyes trace every tree, every person, every car that whizzes by. His lips move silently as he identifies each brand that passes. Ciel smirks. _Must be a game he's invented, to teach himself._ They're all quiet for the rest of the car ride, except for his aunt who is quite possibly mad to a degree, and only speak again when they get to her home, which is much more like a mansion than a home. Sebastian thinks about his father's tiny apartment. He wonders who is caring for him, who is helping him get around. Perhaps the old woman from next door is aiding him to the extent that she can. He feels awful for a few seconds, only brushing away the thoughts when Ciel tugs on the sleeve of his shirt, motioning to the house.

"Your room is upstairs, third door on the left. I've put two beds in the same room, if that's all right with you two."

"It's fine, Aunt An. When is your business partner coming over?"

She plucks at the petal of a rose and turns around to face Ciel, who looks irritated as he fiddles with the handle to his suitcase. 

"What's that, dear? Oh! Um, around four or five, so you boys will have plenty of time to play before dinner."

Ciel nods, making for the stairs. "We'll be going out, then - and I promise we'll be back before dinner. I'll make sure we don't miss whatever fantastic feast you've cooked up, per usual. I'm looking forward to it."

She swipes a hand at him, smiling fondly. "Aren't you sweet! Make sure to go down to _Promenade des Anglais_ , so he can see the sea. Oh, and Sebastian, dear, don't be afraid to ask for anything should you need it. While you're here, this your home as well."

He glances at Ciel, who nods. Sebastian mimics the movement back to her. "Thank you very much, ma'am."

"Please, call me Madam Red!"

Before the taller teen can respond, Ciel pulls him up the stairs by the front of his shirt and down a long hallway. The rooms are neatly aligned and their door is on the third, just as promised. The room is spacious and large, with two beds that are side by side, only a few feet of space between them. Ciel takes the one closest to the window, which Sebastian has no qualms with. They both place their belongings into the wardrobe situated in front of the beds, and return back downstairs. Ciel snags a set of keys hanging from a wooden key rack.

"Aunt An, I'm taking the Royce."

She turns around from where she's been standing by the counter, a cordless phone pressed to her ear. "Yes, dear, whatever you'd like. Be careful."

"We will."

-

"She's very interesting, isn't she?" Sebastian asks as he aimlessly drives down the streets of Nice, admiring its cottage littered alleyways. Ciel snorts, hair fluttering in the brisk wind. 

"She's ridiculous. Aunt An is still stuck in her Burlesque days, quite embarrassing really. It explains all the red."

Sebastian glances at Ciel as he scoffs before hitching a left.

"She was in Burlesque? Really?"

"No, how old do you think she is? But she was a dancer, back in her prime. She was beautiful, my father always said. However, my mother, Rachel, caught his eye. They'd both been dancers. He told me that my mother had been slow, appealing in her movements. She'd been flawless. Aunt An loved him, I know she did. After they died, she took care of me for a while until I was old enough to take control of the factory and care of myself. She probably thought it was her responsibility. Her fault."

Ciel points at something out the window.

"Take a right up here."

Sebastian does as he says and continues driving. 

"I bet you look like your mother," he says, eyes on the road, "Sons always look like their mothers. What was she like?"

Ciel looks at him, sunlight making him squint minutely. "Mom? She was beautiful. She was refined and elegant and she could woo anyone, just by looking at them. She had a smile like no one else, and when she talked or moved or laughed, everyone paid attention. She loved me very much, I'd like to think. The day they died, it felt as if all the happiness had just sort of... vanished. Like I had nothing else to live for. The people that cared the most for me were gone, and there was nothing I could do about it." He glances away. "Take a left and then stop once you see that white building."

"She sounds lovely. I wish I could've met her."

The smaller male looks out the windshield as the sea comes into view, soft and clear and glistening. 

"So do I."

They park the car and sit quietly, listening to laughter and lapping waves. Even the beach air smells clean, like salt and lotion. It's calming. Sebastian closes his eyes and lets his head drop back against the headrest of his seat. 

"Thank you," he says, not opening his eyes, "for taking me here. It's beautiful. That thing you said about never having friends - that goes for me as well. I mean, I had Dagger, but he doesn't count as a friend. He was just something to pass the time, to take cars. He got me into this whole mess." Sebastian looks at Ciel, garnet eyes glinting in the sunlight. "You're feeding me the cars, you're giving into my whims. It's nice, however: to have this whole secret life thing going on. So, thank you. For everything."

Ciel looks away, almost surprised by the sudden flash of heat that runs through his face.

"Think nothing of it. I'm doing it because I want to. You're a good driver. I wouldn't indulge you like I am if I didn't think you were worth it."

They sit in silence for almost an hour, both watching as the tide comes and goes. 

-

Angelina is running around the house when they get back, a glass of wine in her hand. 

"Oh, boys! You're just in time for dinner. My business partner is joining us, I hope you don't mind. He's very kind."

Once they've taken off their shoes, she leads them to a massive dining room where another redhead sits at the table, jotting something down on a piece of paper.

"An, love, the numbers just don't add up. Are you sure you've -" the person looks up, a smile splitting their face. "Well, now, who's this?"

Ciel's aunt hurries to the table. "Grell, this is my nephew and his friend, Ciel and Sebastian. Boys, this is my business partner, Grell. He works with me over at the hospital." 

The Frenchmen smiles and grounds his cigarette into the ashtray beside him. He stands, displaying a willowy figure and long, red hair. Ciel sighs as the man shakes both their hands and kisses them each on both cheek. Ciel rubs a hand across his face as soon as the redhead turns away. 

"Angelina, I don't want to impose on your family time. I'll be back tomorrow, _oui_?" He kisses her cheeks and then waggles his fingers at the boys before exiting the house. Ciel looks at the closing door distastefully, nose wrinkled in the slightest as he shoots Sebastian a look that makes the other boy smirk and shake his head. They each take seats at the table, where a meal of some kind of meat and a limp looking salad sits. Ciel flicks his good eye to Sebastian, who looks displeased but still takes a few bites, just to be polite.

He nudges the eating male under the table and whispers, "No wonder he got out of here," behind his napkin.

Sebastian inhales sharply and chokes on the food, leaving Ciel to chuckle slightly and Angelina to hurry to the flailing boy, patting gently on his back until he remembers to breath correctly.

-

It's dark by the time Ciel and Sebastian stumble to bed, each sleepy with the glasses of wine Angelina had prompted them with. Ciel's mouth is sticky and he wastes no time in undressing, not even bothering to hurry the other boy out of the room. He slips into bed before Sebastian can even undo his belt. 

He takes out his laptop while Sebastian undresses, pulling his shirt up over his head to reveal an expanse of white skin. Ciel taps away at the keys, emailing Mey-rin about keeping an eye on the others and to not let Sebastian's father discover anything while they're gone.

Sebastian redresses in silence, and hesitates to turn the lights off.

"You can turn them off, it's fine," Ciel says, untying the silk eye patch and pulling on the white one. 

"All right."

Sebastian settles into bed, which is much more comfortable than it looks, and turns his head towards Ciel.

"If it's not too personal, may I ask -"

"It's fine," he repeats, not looking at the speaker. "A childhood incident. I can't see out of it, and it's kind of unsightly. I don't like to see it, and I certainly wouldn't want others to see it. It makes me feel safer to have it covered." Before Sebastian can respond, the smaller male's attention is returned to his computer. "Shit," he says uncharacteristically, like a child repeating it from their parent's mouth, and grabs for his cell phone off of the bedside table.

Sebastian sits straighter. "What's wrong?"

Ciel holds up a finger, phone pressed to his ear. "Mey-rin? What do you mean?" He looks at Sebastian. "Yes, he's here. Yes. Yes, I under- Wait, what?" The smaller male stiffens, visible eye wide under his dark hair. "Chamber did? All of them? Even the one tha- All of them. I see."

"What happened?"

"I see. Thank you for alerting me. We'll be back as soon as possible. Goodbye."

He hangs up and all but throws the phone onto the nightstand, hands knotting in his hair as soon as it's out of them.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong, or am I supposed to guess?" Sebastian is up and standing beside Ciel's bed. The smaller male huffs out a laugh, turning his head to look at Sebastian, lips quirked into something made to resemble a smile.

"Chamber trashed the garage. All of the cars were vandalized. Mey-rin says that Baldroy and Finnian promise it's an easy fix, but... I just can't believe it."

"Why would he do something like that?"

The makeshift smile on Ciel's face grows wider. "Because we rejected his little party invitation. I've been informed he's rescheduled it, and that I'm meant to attend. Alone. Without you, because he feels that you're a threat." He scoffs out another little laugh. "What a mistake. If anything, I'm the threat. I'm going to destroy him, and I'm not going to need any type of car to do it."


	7. Nana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone has a death warrant, someone has a birthday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love making chamber the bad guy - he's so pathetic and desperate 
> 
> the slow building relationship is slowly building. also, i took a lot of liberty with madam red's character, but i really like her as a happy, bubbly character and i hope that the rest of you do as well. she is too precious for this world
> 
> sorry that this chapter is rushed and short and boring. next chapter will have chamber's ultimate destruction, so look forward to that!
> 
> hope you're all well
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

"What do you mean you're leaving?" Angelina is sitting on the couch, with a blanket draped over her shoulders and a mug of coffee in her hands. "You just got here!" she laughs, leaning forward to set the cup on the glass table inches from the couch. 

Ciel doesn't look at her. "Something came up back home. It's very urgent - it involves work." 

His aunt lets her brows wrinkle. "Ciel, is it - is it something that I did? Because if it is, I'm sorry. Really, I am."

"Aunt An, it's nothing you did. I promise. Someone broke into my garage and destroyed all of the cars." His jaw sets. "Including Dad's cars. I don't want to leave, but I have to go back in order to get them fixed as soon as possible."

Angelina is on her feet before Ciel can even think about finishing the sentence, her quick movements knocking over the coffee mug. The brown liquid spills over the table and the cup falls to the hardwood floor, shattering almost instantly. Sebastian doesn't let his eyes move away from it as Angelina speaks loudly, her hands grabbing at the front of Ciel's shirt as she pulls him to his toes so that they're nose to nose. "Vincent's cars? He - are you serious?" Tears well in her eyes as she lets him go, allowing Ciel to stumble back. He almost falls, but Sebastian holds him steady, hands on his shoulders. 

"You okay?" he asks quietly, head lowered to Ciel's ear.

"Fine," is the reply as the shorter male pulls away, moving back to his aunt. "It's all right," he murmurs, reaching for her arm, "I promise we'll get them all fixed and it'll be like nothing ever happened. I understand how you feel. It's all right." 

Angelina sits on the couch, head in her hands as her shoulders shake with sobs. Ciel quietly strokes her hair. 

Sebastian feels as though he's imposing on a personal family moment and wants to slip off into the shadows. He doesn't like the feeling in the room - it's heavy, compressed. It makes his stomach hurt; the sound of her crying makes his head spin. 

"I promise I'll come back soon," Ciel says, pulling Angelina's chin up. "If it will make you feel better, we'll stay through tomorrow, for my birthday. I haven't celebrated one with you in a while, have I?"

She sniffs, and rubs her eyes. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to take you away from your job."

"If I say I'm staying, then I'm staying." He wipes at her face with his sleeve and steps back, smiling. "See? Everything will be just fine. Sebastian and I - we'll set everything right. I promise. I'm not going to let that bastard slither away like the snake he is. He'll pay for everything, whether it be in blood or money." The smaller male moves to stand beside Sebastian, prodding him in the side. "It's fine if we stay for one more day, right? Chamber can wait. Plus, it will give me more time to plan his destruction."

"You're actually kind of frightening, you know?" 

Ciel rolls his eyes, the visible one swirling in its socket. "I'm aware. So, Aunt An, since we have an extra day, what would you like to do?"

The redhead flushes and stands up. fingers nervously working together. "Well, I have to go back to the hospital, but when I come back, perhaps we could go down to that little park you always loved, huh? I think they're setting off fireworks tonight. It'd be nice."

The two exchange glances and give synchronized nods.

"Yes, that sounds like fun."

"And, we'll even stay here all day and wait for you to get back."

She smiles, really smiles, and loops both arms around the boys, pulling them into a group hug. Their shoulders are smushed together as they are more or less pressed into one another as Angelina squeezes them tightly. "Such good boys," she murmurs, "such good boys."

Ciel's nose presses into the spot just below Sebastian's right collarbone, his head almost wholly tucked under the taller male's chin. Angelina sways the trio back and forth and does not let go for almost a full minute. When she does, the boys stumble apart, each coughing and clearing throats as to allow much needed air back into empty lungs. The aunt is still smiling, bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet.

"I have to run to the hospital very quickly, but I promise I'll be back soon. And then - then we can spend the whole day in the park. We can even have a picnic, if you'd like."

There it is.

_If you'd like._

Coming from someone else, it doesn't sound as desperate, as needy, but Ciel's shoulders contract just the same. He tries to put on a smile, suddenly feeling vulnerable. "Yes, Aunt An. That's fine. We'll make it while you're at work."

Sebastian's eyes shift to the junior, lids heavily hooded over Venetian red irises. Something's wrong, he knows something's off, but remains silent as Ciel rushes his aunt off to her room so she can dress for work and leave.

Once she's gone, they go to the kitchen, gathering ingredients to make cucumber sandwiches and a thermos of soup. 

"What happened?" Sebastian asks when he's standing over the stove, stirring a pot of warming chicken stock. 

Ciel does not look up from the cucumbers he's cutting. "What do you mean?"

All is quiet for a moment, the only sounds that of the knife on the cutting board and the quiet bubbling of liquid. Sebastian slows the motion of the spoon and looks at Ciel, making a sound that forces the other to look at him. "When she was talking about the picnic, I saw you get all stiff. Did she say something that you -"

"I'd appreciate it if you'd drop the subject," Ciel interrupts, eye cutting to Sebastian as he stabs the knife into the wooden board. "It's none of your business, is it? Don't try to assume how I feel or what I think solely based on my movements. Stop trying to analyse me, all right? Just - finish the soup." He returns his attention to the sandwiches, arranging the tiny green half moons on cleanly trimmed pieces of bread, nimble fingers holding Sebastian's attention as he's stunned into silence.

"Forgive me."

They do not speak again as the lunch is finished and neatly set into a wicker basket. They do not sit next to each other on the couch as they wait for Angelina to return. They do not exchange glances in the car as they drive to the park. 

Angelina tries to break the tension by telling a joke that neither of them hear, and falls silent when her forced laughter is not returned. They all file out of the car and find a nice patch of grass on the ground of the quiet park, which is mainly empty due to the weather. It's not too cold, but it isn't as warm as Ciel would like it to be. He doesn't enjoy the cold.

"So, Sebastian. How did you two meet?"

He chokes on a sandwich, reminiscent of the night before, and holds up a hand when Angelina makes a move towards his back. He swallows and grits his teeth. "Well, it's kind of an... odd story. I recently moved to Japan for some implications, I guess, with the law. The only way to keep me from going to a juvenile detention center was to move in with my father, who lives in Tokyo. I, uh -"

"He works for me," Ciel says, picking up a small triangle with slender fingers. "With Mey-rin and Baldroy and Finnian." His eyes flicker to Sebastian, glinting sapphire in the sunlight. "Isn't that right?"

The senior nods hesitantly, quickly catching onto the lie. "Yes! My father doesn't allow me to drive, but it lets me keep close to cars."

"Do you like cars, Sebastian?"

He looks at her, eyes unblinking. "I don't like cars. I love them. With all my heart, I truly do. Cars are simple, are easy. They bring out the best in people."

Ciel snorts, eyes closed. "Don't make it sound so philosophical. It's not the car, I thought you of all people would understand. It's the driver. A hunk of metal has no control over what a person can do." He tilts his head as he pours himself a small bowl of chicken noodle soup: not the most glamorous of meals, but it's certainly warm. "I definitely thought you'd know that."

Angelina chews thoughtfully on the corner of a sandwich. "Ciel, you made it sound much more philosophical, I think."

"How? He was talking about cars bringing out the best in people. All I said was that people bring out the best in themselves."

"Just thinking out loud," she says, finishing off the small sandwich. "You boys really get along, don't you?" 

They look at each other and then back at Angelina. 

"You think so?"

She smiles. "I'm sure of it. You're like old friends. It's nice, seeing two people be so close."

-

 As night falls, Ciel feels himself grow weary. He's sprawled out on the picnic blanket, removing the other two people from its softness. The fireworks are promised to begin soon, but he really can't find it in himself to care. He's tired, worn out. Above all, he's worried - worried about going back to Japan, worried about seeing Chamber, worried about what he's going to do to the man. 

Sebastian has busied himself with creating a small pile of rocks from the grass on the bank of the river. 

Angelina is sitting near Ciel with her cell phone pressed to her ear, chattering on and on in French.

The first colorful explosion startles them all into standing positions, each suddenly closer than before.  

Ciel and Sebastian gravitate towards one another, shoulders barely touching as they each look up into the sky at the glittering tendrils lingering in the air, each quickly replaced by a new burst of color, all greens and reds and blues and golds. Neither of them speak, simply share a mutual affection for the second long explosions as the hues creep jet black into the starless night. 

When they get home, Ciel stops Sebastian in front of the bathroom door, a towel in hand. He looks sheepishly at the ground. "Sorry. For yelling at you earlier. You were just asking a question, and I shouldn't have snapped at you like I did, so - I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Sebastian says, trying not to look at the dip in Ciel's shirt, exposing the tender notch of skin between his collarbones. "It wasn't my place. I shouldn't have asked you something that was personal."

"I said it was fine, didn't I? I just overreacted about something - but it's all right." Ciel glances at the door, jaw working tensely. "Thank you, though, for worrying about me."

Sebastian dips his head in an awkward half-nod just as Ciel slips into the bathroom to take a shower.

He thinks about the boy's birthday tomorrow. He thinks about leaving France. He thinks about Chamber.

That night, Sebastian does not sleep.

-

Angelina bursts into their room at around ten, with a plate stacked with pancakes. Ciel slowly sits straight up, rubbing at his good eye. His hair sticks up wildly, in different directions. Sebastian coughs loudly to cover up a laugh.

"Happy birthday, my little lamb! You're seventeen, so I made you seventeen pancakes," she says as she takes a seat on the edge of Ciel's bed, handing him the plate, which he squints at and then looks back at his aunt.

"Aunt An, I can't eat seventeen pancakes. No one can eat that many pancakes."

She stands and waves a hand in the air. "Have Sebastian help you, then. "Hurry up, though! I've got a whole day planned for you, kiddo." Angelina ruffles his hair. " _Je t'aime_."

He shifts the plate on his lap. " _Moi aussi_."

Once she leaves, Ciel pads over to Sebastian's bed and shakes the plate of pancakes at him. "Take this, I'm going to get forks. Scatterbrained woman; who makes seventeen pancakes for one person?" Sebastian doesn't speak, only watches the almost seductive way Ciel's narrow hips move as he walks to the door, twisting at an angle as he slips out the door. The taller male sets the plate on the bedside table and slips under the thick quilt on his bed, suddenly embarrassed. 

Sure, Ciel is attractive - in an odd way: all thin and cold and stoic - but Sebastian doesn't _want_ to think about him like that. He doesn't want to think about the way that the sun makes Ciel's hair look like ashes, or the way that he always warms his hands in front of the car vents, or the way that his lips are pale pink and would probably taste like cotton candy -

"What are you doing?"

Sebastian pops his head out of the depths of the blanket to see Ciel standing in the doorway, holding a bottle of syrup and two forks. _The shirt he's wearing is too big_ , the taller male notes as he sits up in bed, scratching the back of his head.

"Thought I'd try to get some more sleep while you were gone."

The bed creaks under the added amount of Ciel's weight as he sits cross legged beside Sebastian's knees, shorts displaying slender, pale legs. 

"You looked like you were having an exorcism. Do you want syrup?"

"Yes, please." 

Sebastian tries to not think about how the bones in Ciel's hands stand out against the shape of the bottle and plate. 

They eat in silence, the only noise that of forks on china and quiet chewing. Ciel takes dainty bites, occasionally pausing to lick syrup from his lips or wipe his fingers off on a napkin. Sebastian contemplates sticking the fork inches deep into his own thigh, just to make sure that this is actually happening, and before he can stop himself, he blurts out a very loud "Happy birthday!" that makes Ciel stop mid-chew and turn his head towards the suddenly flustered older boy.

"Thank you," is all Ciel replies, returning his attention to his food.

Sebastian nods lowly, jaw set. "You're welcome."

-

Angelina's day for Ciel consists of cake and a few presents: a silver Omega watch, and two tickets for the flight back home.

She cries when they're at the airport, and pulls the boys into another crushing hug that presses one into the other uncomfortably. 

Ciel says something to her in French that Sebastian has no hopes of even trying to translate, and then, they board the plane.

"Sucks, huh? I wish we could've stayed longer."

"I know," Sebastian says, looking out the window. "This was nice. Thank you. It took my mind off of a lot of things."

"You didn't even - _non, je ne voudrais rien_ \- get to race any cars. I didn't even get to show you any cars. Truly a shame. France is so beautiful."

Sebastian sighs and shakes his head, looking at Ciel. His features are traced in the dying sunlight, throwing pointed, elfin shadows across his face. "I still had a really nice time. No one's ever done anything like this for me before, so thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm glad you liked it. I've never had anyone to do anything like this before." _Had_. As if he _has_ Sebastian now. Ciel grits his teeth and tries to stomach that thought, tries to store it down somewhere deep, deep, deep inside himself. He hates this, hates feeling like he wants to please Sebastian, wants to make him happy. It's sickening how powerful the feeling is. Ciel wants to open a window and get sucked into the depths of the sky.

He crosses his arms and lets his nails dig into the skin of his biceps, almost hard enough to draw blood. 

Ciel suddenly feels irritated, distracted, dismal, useless, nauseous. 

He and Sebastian don't speak on the plane ride home, and they definitely don't speak when they part ways, although Ciel can feel Sebastian's eyes linger after him.


	8. Ketsueki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The art of destruction is subtle, sensual, and it carries a pistol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well!!!! this chapter is basically me making up for last chapter, because i felt that it was very rushed and very boring and i was worried that people wouldn't like it, because i didn't really.
> 
> so, i hope you enjoy cars, gun fights, and costume parties! heheh plus weird .. .. naked dreams and badass ciel
> 
> // tw???? uh violence, brief sexual harrassment //
> 
> love you all
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

Nina stands in front of a mostly naked Ciel, stretching a thin yellow tape measurement across the span of his arms, legs, waist, neck, and chest. Her hands are warm and make him flinch a little when they brush across his ribs, a rather sensitive spot. They're at her house, which has been turned into some sort of tailor shop. Dresses, shirts, pants, coats and all the like are strewn every which way, across couches and chairs and tables.

Ciel makes a low grumbling noise when she crouches to take his inseam. "I do know my own measurements. I don't see why you didn't just ask for them." 

A sharp jab to his ribs makes Ciel cry out, earning a giggle from the brunette on her knees, one hand near his crotch and the other at his ankle. 

"Because as a seamstress, it's my job. I'm going to make you a costume to rival the Gods. Chamber won't know what hit him."

"If I'm lucky, it will be my fists."

Nina lets Ciel step off of the circular platform she had him on and writes down his measurements quickly before pulling out a large swatch of dark cloth. She holds the cloth out against the length of his arms and makes a pleased sound. "Dark colors go very well with your skin - you're a winter, you know." Nina begins to press the fabric flush to Ciel's skin, nodding as she does so. "I have the greatest costume in mind, darling. You'll look great, sexy! Chamber will never know it's you, I promise."

The slender male pauses when Nina steps away from him, hands on her hips.

"Ciel?"

"What?"

"How do you feel about heels?"

-

Sebastian is sweaty when he wakes up. It's almost seven in the afternoon, and his father isn't home. His chest hurts, like a slow, painful burn, a burn that comes creeping and crawling into his lungs. He tries to shift positions on the tiny futon but can't, given the sharp jolt that shoots through his abdomen when he remembers lingering glimpses of his dream. The pain that makes his thighs clench isn't a bad feeling, but it's one he hasn't felt in a while.

Open mouths and curling toes flood his vision, paired with ice pale skin and a keying voice that screams and begs and _pleads_. It's a good pleading, pleading for pleasure, for more more more of whatever's being given, being doled out like daily medicine. Sebastian thinks of contorted bodies and teeth and fingers that touch and caress and grip bed sheets. He thinks of blue eyes whizzing in sockets and flesh against flesh. 

In an instant, he's upstarting, dashing to the cramped bathroom. Water rushes up into his nostrils as Sebastian splashes the lukewarm-at-best water onto his face. For a second, he contemplates drowning himself in the sink. 

Something clenches in his chest again and Sebastian has to hold himself up by the sink's faux-marble counter, knees digging into the wooden cabinets. He's overwhelmed, almost, with a sense of nagging emotion, like a marionette pulling on strings attached to his body. 

Sebastian manages to keep upright, walk to the kitchen, write his father a quick note, and run out the front door.

He pushes through the throngs of people, darting in and out of traffic like a man on fire, like his heart is going to burst out of his chest if he doesn't see _him_ , doesn't see Ciel. The feeling - the needy, creeping feeling that's wrapped itself around his spine like a vice - of needing to see Ciel is the only thing keeping him going as he runs through lanes of people, of cars, of bikes and vans and tourists galore. 

 _I need to see him_ , Sebastian thinks as he rounds the corner that hides Ciel's apartment complex. He's running, apologizing as he nearly plows into a mother and her children, up the stairs, two flights, three flights, four flights, down a hallway, and to the door of the apartment. 

Sebastian pauses to catch his breath, leaning heavily against the door for a few moments before pulling away and knocking on it in a hurried, repeated beat. 

Shuffling sounds come from within, followed by those of locks unbolting.

"That was fast, Nina -" Ciel is speaking before the door even opens, but once it is, he stops dead in his tracks.

Lip gloss is smeared across his mouth, his lashes are curled, and laces to a corset loosely trail down his slender back. He's got on thigh high socks, but Sebastian isn't thinking about Ciel's legs. Well, he is, but the rapidly spreading blush across the boy's face is much more entertaining. The flush creeps down Ciel's slender neck, where a thin leather collar is in place. 

Sebastian opens his mouth, but before he can speak, Ciel slams the door closed. 

"Giant freak!" he screams over the sound of the locks clicking back into place. "I thought you were Nina! Go home! Go home go home go home!"

"I'm not going home," Sebastian says, leaning back into the door, "I want to see you. Come out. I came all this way to see you. I wanted to check on the cars."

"No one asked you to do that! Go home!"

Someone taps Sebastian on his shoulder. He turns to see the brunette from the garage. What had her name been? Nina? She smiles, and pulls her glasses from atop her head to balance on the bridge of her ski-slope nose. She's pretty in a demure way, even with what she's wearing: a cropped, white t-shirt above a ruffled, lavender petticoat, which is almost so sheer he thinks he can see her underwear. 

He moves out of her way. "Excuse me," he says in broken Japanese.

"It's fine," Nina chirps in English, before knocking on the door, shifting the black bag in her hand to the other arm. "Ciel, dearest, it's me. Can you let me in, love?"

"He can't come in!"

Her brown eyes shift to Sebastian, and she nods towards the door, mouthing, "You want to go in?" The tall male nods, lips pressed into a straight line. Nina smiles and taps at the side of her nose. "Ciel, if you don't let me in, I'm not going to lace your corset."

"Damn you! You incorrigible woman!"

"Are you going to let us in, or are you going to keep me waiting?"

After a few more moments of silence, the door opens and Ciel stands in its frame, in all of his lingerie covered glory.

Lace peeks out from under the hem of the corset, and it takes Sebastian a few seconds to realize that it's panties. Once the door shuts and Nina forces Ciel to stand in front of the table with his legs spread and his arms out, the senior looks for a window he can fling himself out of.

"Take a deep breath for me, would you, kiddo?" Ciel's fingers tighten against the wooden table as he complies. Nina begins to lace the corset, outside and over, inside and over, repeating those two motions until she reaches the middle, where she makes a small loop, and then to the bottom, which is precariously perched over Ciel's tailbone, drawing Sebastian's eyes back to the black underwear. He takes a deep breath when Ciel gasps out, " _can't breathe_ ". Nina tugs the strings tighter and Sebastian swears he can _hear_ the boy's ribs crack and shift together. 

His face is red, much like before. Sebastian shifts in the chair he occupies and watches as Ciel manages to straighten up, breathing heavily. 

"How do you feel?" Nina asks, fingers prodding at Ciel's chest. 

"I think my ribs are broken," he pants out, scratching at his mouth. "Can we just finish so I can leave? The sooner I get there, the sooner I can ruin Chamber's entire life and get the hell out of this deathtrap."

Sebastian watches from a safe distance as Nina rushes around the apartment, gathering articles of clothing and makeup for Ciel to slip into and put on. The corset offers the thought of a bust it nips his waist in even more, if that were even possible. The dress that he steps into is short, surprisingly so, but long enough to hide everything that needs to be hidden, and strapless. It's made of black fabric with a lace inlay that shows hints of Ciel's pale skin in glimpses and gaps, drawing Sebastian's eyes to the boy's body. He is so small and feminine looking that it's almost impossible to tell he's even remotely a boy.

"My hair is too short," Ciel murmurs, examining himself in the mirror. He runs finely boned hands over the gray colored shag almost like he's fretting.

"Not to worry, little one! I've brought you something." Nina shimmies over to Ciel, something in her hands. It's two clumps of hair - extensions. She fixes them to both sides of Ciel's head and arranges the strands in a way that looks natural, looks positively feminine. The eye patch stays in place but is partially obscured by a thick chunk of the hair. He forces on a pair of heels that slightly elevate his 5'4" stature, by not by much. They're kitten heels, the same shade of black as his dress.

"How do I look?" he says once everything is put on.

Sebastian stands up. "I'm coming with you."

Ciel's brows knit as he stands up straight, hands in fists by his side. He looks positively adorable, like a little girl that hadn't gotten her way.

"You're not!"

"I am!"

"You'll need someone to look out for you while you look like that!" Color rises in Sebastian's face, high into the apples of his cheeks. It's a rare sight and it makes Ciel pause in his movements and look Sebastian from head to toe, then turn to Nina. 

"Do you have an extra suit lying around?"

-

The hotel is exceedingly nice: large and extravagant in a gaudy way. They drive a car that Ciel knows Chamber won't recognize - a modest, silver CLA45 2015 Benz. A quick shower, a suit, some hair gel, and a pair of half-moon glasses with a chain had turned Sebastian into a tutor of some sorts. He doesn't look so much like himself as he normally would, and Ciel thinks he looks odd without his leather jacket. However, it's a good fit. The suit makes Sebastian look taller and slender, casting dark, new-found shadows over his face that Ciel actually kind of likes. The darkness under his eyes and in the hollows of his cheeks and temples make him look older, more refined. 

Ciel makes sure that Sebastian stays a safe distance away from him as they move through the crowd, quietly, silently. 

Its lobby is crowded with men and women, all masked and dressed up and yelling loudly. The lights are colored and dimmed, casting green and blue dots against the floors, ceilings, and walls.

In the purse Nina insisted that Ciel take with him is his ID card, a few twenty dollar bills, and a Ruger LCP 380 UC pistol. He isn't going to use it, however. It's more for a feeling of power, of control. He wants to scare Chamber, doesn't necessarily want to hurt him.

Ciel glances around the room, blue orb flicking over other patrons. He catches sight of Sebastian, of Alois and Claude, of people he doesn't know.

"Perhaps you should try upstairs."

"I'm going to buy you a bell," Ciel hisses when he turns around to see Sebastian an arms length away. The shadow smirks, lips curling in a way that makes him really not look like himself. "Fine, we'll go upstairs. But remember, stay away from me."

 _It's even gaudier up here_ , Ciel thinks as he ascends the stairs, scowling lightly. Throngs of people press and push into him, almost none of them offering apologies. Instead, the majority of them are squealing and jeering about someone "so attractive! The most attractive person I've ever seen! He looks like a real king!"

Little words jump out at Ciel, little snippets from overexcited passerbys with loud voices and tiny clothes.

"Hear that?" he murmurs to no one in particular, but still earns a soft sound of agreement from the shadow behind him. Ciel turns, brows slightly raised. The purse taps at his hip, dangling from the crook of his elbow. It serves as a heavy reminder of his mission: completely destroy Aleister Chamber's reputation.

"I'll be right back," the boy says, and Sebastian nods. "Stay here. Keep an eye on the door." Without another word, Ciel slips through the crowd of masked strangers, yearning for snatches of more conversations. The louder the squealing, the closer he is to Chamber. Just to the left of the third floor stairs, behind an array of potted plants, is a large group of women, all chattering excitedly and laughing in high pitched shrieks and whistles. Ciel stretches up onto his tiptoes, one of the thick locks of fake hair falling into the junction of his shoulder and neck.

He steals quietly into the midst of the women, sidling up next to Chamber so close that his shoulder grazes the man's elbow, drawing his attention.

Hooded purple eyes fall to Ciel, and the women all disperse with a wave of a ringed hand. Colored lips part to reveal immaculate teeth.

"Well, well, well," Chamber croons in a voice like dark velvet, glancing at Ciel from under thick lashes. Ciel runs his tongue over his top teeth and pitches his voice up a few octaves, head tilted to the left ever-so-slightly. "What do we have here?"

"I've heard a lot about you, Mr. Chamber."

Ciel is wedged between a slot of tiled wall and the 'king', just out of reach, and eyes, of others. 

"I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of meeting you, my dear. Even if this is a costume party, I believe I would remember seeing a face like yours."

 _Good thing you're a moron_ , Ciel thinks bitterly as Chamber's hand slips onto his waist, nearly at the vicinity of his waist. Ciel considers cutting of the man's fingers and sewing them back into the wrong places.

"Have you now, my little robin?"

Ciel nearly bristles at the nickname, the same one the man had donned him at Sebastian's race. He nearly pulls the gun out of the purse and puts a bullet right between Chamber's haunting eyes. _Forget no violence. I'll kill him, right here, right now._ Ciel stomachs the thoughts and pulls on another small smile. He knows that Chamber likes girls - likes them young, likes them old, easy, hard, talkative, quiet. He's simple minded and easy to read. 

"Yes sir, I have indeed. Some very interesting things." The voice makes his throat hurt, rings annoyingly in his ears, and seems to fool Chamber easily.

A smile twitches at the corner of the man's mouth as he curls a strand from the extensions around one of his fingers endearingly. "What sort of things have you heard about me?"

Ciel lets his eyes lid heavily, even if only one is visible. He hopes that the action is enough to give off the appearance of being emotionally attracted to the man. He'd studied facial features on a whim one year - he knows all of the action units of the Facial Action Coding System by heart.

"You're a very important man," Ciel returns, glossy lips parted to show milk white teeth, like tiny pearls. "I've heard that you're very... how should I put this? Experienced." The junior resists as Chamber's fingers dare to twitch against his hip, tracing the lace inlay.

Peals of laughter echo around the closed space from someone nearby - Ciel wonders where Sebastian is.

 _Hurry_.

"Are you enjoying the party, little robin? I do wish you'd take off your costume; I'd love to know who you are."

"I'm tired of partying," Ciel counters, letting his shoulders shrug aimlessly. He glances at the floor and then back up, with a look he can only pray is lustful. "I'd rather do something more fun."

Teeth are bared, and Chamber's mouth quirks into a hungry smirk.

_Hurry!_

Ciel scans the floor once more, trying to catch a glimpse of Sebastian. The older man's finger slide underneath Ciel's finely boned jaw to tilt his head forward, forcing full eye contact.

"What's got you so distracted? Perhaps we should go somewhere more," his voice drops from velvet to silk, "private."

-

Sebastian watches as the slender boy in a dress follows the so-presumed 'king of Harajuku,' who has his fingers on Ciel's waist. He contemplates running the Benz out front through the hotel and into Chamber, instantly breaking most of his bones. Of course, he doesn't want to kill the man. No, if Sebastian was allowed to touch Chamber, he'd torture him first. Slowly. Painfully slow.

He's camped out by a trashcan, a spot where he can carefully observe everyone: Alois and Claude are furiously making out in a small, secluded are near the bathroom; Chamber still has his fingers on Ciel's hip as they climb up the stairs to the penthouse.

Sebastian would break the man's fingers first. 

Then his wrist.

Then his arm.

Break him until he's _screaming_ with pain. Break him until he can never touch anything else ever again.

-

Chamber's room is much nicer than the rest of the gaudy hotel. It smells of something sweet and tangy, like green tea and honey. He wonders if Sebastian is all right.

"Would you like a drink?"

Ciel turns to the left, where Chamber stands beside a full sized fridge, holding up a bottle of vodka and a bottle of water. "Pick your poison." The water bottle appears sealed, but he's aware of people being able to reseal them after spiking them with cocktails of drugs. The vodka is half empty already, and possibly already spiked. Ciel shakes his head, a modest smile on his lips.

"No, thank you."

The king raises his brows as Ciel takes a seat on the couch. He has to constantly remind himself to play the part of the girl. It's not as difficult as he first imagined, and the dress isn't nearly as uncomfortable as it had presented itself in the beginning. The heels, however, are a different story.

"Suit yourself." Chamber crosses into the room and sits beside the smaller male. "What sort of fun did you have in mind, if I may ask?" The lavender eyes are lowly lidded, pupils constricted to pinpoints. Ciel knows that pupils are supposed to dilate due to production of oxytocin linked to sexual arousal. Not constrict. He shifts, trying to pass it off as getting closer, not because of how uncomfortable he feels. His trails his fingers under the band of Chamber's watch.

"I think you know what kind of fun."

Chamber smirks, lips a hairsbreadth away from Ciel's own.

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

Chamber's lips brush the corner of Ciel's mouth and trail to his jaw. The junior swallows hard as Chamber speaks into his neck.

"Do you have any special requests for this _fun_?"

Nausea rises in Ciel's throat as he slowly reaches for the purse. "Foreplay." 

"What kind of foreplay, little one?"

Ciel pulls the gun out of the bag and presses it into Chamber's chest in one fluid movement. "Gunplay, you son of a bitch," he snarls, dropping the high pitched voice in the blink of an eye. Chamber nears falls backwards over the arm of the couch as soon as the cold barrel presses into his shirt. Neither of them speak as Ciel shifts closer, all but straddling Chamber's knees.

"W-who are you?"

"Oh come now, King. Surely you remember me. At least, you probably remember destroying all of my cars."

The pale pink lips twist in a grimace as Chamber looks for room to back away from Ciel further. "Phantomhive?"

"I knew you wouldn't forget." Ciel adds pressure to the weight of the gun as he pulls the extensions from his hair. "Why'd you do it? Because I rejected your little invitation? Are you really such a pathetic lowlife that you'd stoop to destroying someone's cars? Did my refusal hurt your pride so much that you decided to hit me where it hurts?" He scoffs out a laugh. "Well, I've got the best mechanics in all of Japan fixing them right now." 

Chamber's hands are in the air, trembling with fear and adrenaline. "I - I really didn't plan to go through with it! I just got a bunch of _yankii_ that were willing to do it and told them to go nuts! They did it for the money!"

A grin steals over Ciel's face as he digs through the purse for his phone. "I wonder how  _he'll_ take to that." Chamber looks faintly green as Ciel dials a number and presses the phone to his ear, hold on the gun never wavering. "Sebastian? Yes. Plans have changed a little. Yes, I need you. Immediately. Penthouse. The door will be unlocked, I promise. Thank you."

"H-hey! You - you don't have to do this! I'm sorry! I'll pay for all the repairs. I'll sell everything I have!" Tears track down the king's face as Ciel motions for him to get up, digging the barrel into his back.

"Unlock the door."

"We can talk this out! If it's about the money, I can -"

"Unlock the door," Ciel says lowly, pulling back the hammer of the pistol. The room falls into silence as they move in a line to the door, which Chamber unlocks. As soon as he does, he's sprawled out on the floor, blood spilling from his nose. Sebastian stands in the doorway, mouth crooked menacingly. 

Ciel stoops to pick up his extensions as Sebastian towers over the injured man. A single blue eye meets two blazing red.

"Go nuts," Ciel says, echoing Chamber's commands to the _yankii_ , before stepping out of the room and closing the door behind him.


	9. Seppun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Awkward half confessions during fights are always fun, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO! i am super proud of that last chapter. it matters to me if others like it as well, but also you guys could all hate it and i probably wouldn't care. that was so far the longest chapter so i'm very proud of it. 
> 
> the boys' relationship gets more relationship-y in this chapter, i guess. super happy fun time
> 
> *shamelessly inserts cheesy interpretive love song lyrics to lighten the mood even further* (song is i want! i want! by walk the moon)
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

"Go _nuts,_ " rings in his ears like a bell. Ciel had looked so intimidating, so alive with a gun in his hands, even in the dress and heels and makeup. Seeing him like that stirred something inside Sebastian - it made him tremble. He wanted to break Ciel apart as well, but not in the same way as Chamber. Both ways were visceral, were raw and made his head spin, but only one would have a good outcome.

He does exactly as Ciel said: go nuts. Absolutely ballistic. Sebastian doesn't stop hitting Chamber until the man is choking on blood, is crying, pleading. That just makes Sebastian even angrier. He thinks about the way Chamber was touching Ciel, how the man had his fingers on Ciel's skin and was touching him.

"P-please," Chamber sobs, arms crossed over his face, like that'd do any good in protecting himself. "I'll do what-whatever you want! Please!" he begs, drawing his legs up. There's blood down the front of his dress shirt, mirroring that on Sebastian's own from when the man on the floor had got one good, admittedly scared, lick in. "I'm sorry! I didn't - I didn't think the cars meant that much to him!"

Sebastian stands and hoists Chamber up by his collar, slamming him against the wall, leaning in so that they're nose to nose. 

"You're joking, right? He left France for these cars. Some of them were his father's. Vincent Phantomhive's cars. I wonder how the public will react when they've learned what you've done. How old are you?"

Chamber coughs, speckling Sebastian's face with blood. "Twenty... twenty six." His eyes lid heavily. 

"Imagine that. A twenty six year old destroying something that belongs to a seventeen year old orphan." Sebastian purses his lips as he releases Chamber's shirt, allowing him to crash to the floor. "People really won't like that. You'll be ruined. What will you do as compensation?"

The king - Sebastian despises that nickname - bursts into tears once more. He has half a mind to take pictures of the man. 

"I'll do anything - whatever you want!"

Sebastian kneels in front of Chamber, taking his chin in slender fingers. "Well you see, therein lies the problem. This," he motions to Chamber, "isn't about what I want. I'm just doing what I was told to do. Much like what you did with the - what did you call them? _Yankii_? I'm following orders. Everything I'm doing to you is physical. But Ciel, he's smart. He's better than me at everything. He'll destroy you from the inside out. There's nothing that you can do to stop him." Sebastian scoffs out a laugh. "And if you think you do anything to him to make this all blow over, you're even more of an idiot than I previously imagined." 

He takes hold of Chamber's finger and bends it all the way back quickly, so far it touches his wrist.

Chamber screams over the sound of his index finger popping from its joint. Sebastian can't decide which is the sweeter of the two noises. 

"If you try to do anything, there'll be more from where that came from." He stands up and moves to the door. "You should probably get someone to reset that for you."

Sebastian's father yells at him when he gets home that night. The old man does not comment on the blood on his sleeve, or the cut on his cheek, or the suit that he's wearing. After five minutes of reiterating the 'curfew rules,' he allows Sebastian to slip into his bedroom-closet, where he quickly and quietly undresses and lays down on top of the futon, his skin too warm to pull it up over himself like usual.

He lays in a pulsating silence until he finally falls asleep.

-

Chamber is on television the next day: "Local Business Mogul Goes into Hiding, Sells Businesses." 

Ciel is on the phone in a second, sitting naked from the waist up on the couch. The earpiece rings four times before the person on the other end picks up.

"Hello?"

"What the hell did you do to him? He's hiding, Sebastian! It's not easy to destroy someone's reputation when you don't know where they are. Honestly, what were you thinking? What did you do?"

A pause. "I broke his finger."

Ciel scoffs, crossing his legs as he leans back. "Just one? Amateur hour. Come over here. You have to tell me everything that happened after I left. It's all just kind of a blur. All I remember is breaking my ribs to get out of that deathtrap Nina squeezed me into."

"I'll be there in 10."

"You can take your time. At least, don't run here this time. i don't want my apartment to smell like dead things."

Sebastian laughs, a pleasing sound that resonates low in his chest and makes Ciel sit up straight, thighs together. _Damn him_ , the junior thinks with his teeth grit, shifting uncomfortably. "I'll try to be presentable."

"Just get here," Ciel says wearily before hanging up, immediately going to his bedroom to get dressed in something much more reasonable than his boxers: black jeans and a dark, ill-fitting sweater. The sleeves hang past his fingers and the hem falls almost below his narrow hips. He's barely even managed to get tea on the stove when the doorbell rings, the door frame bearing a cool and collected Sebastian, much different from the worn out, sweaty one it bore the day before.

He comes in, taking a seat on the couch. Ciel sits beside him, feet tucked underneath his body.

"So. Everything, tell me."

"Well, before I broke his finger, I told him how absolutely furious you were about the cars. I told him you'd break him down from behind the scenes," Sebastian says, earning a nod from Ciel. Light catches on tiny studs in his ears and Sebastian tilts his head to get a better look. "I didn't know your ears were pierced."

The junior winces. "Yes, they are." He moves to brush hair behind his ear, but Sebastian is already doing it, absentmindedly, without any real intentions other than looking at the small jewels. Ciel's shoulders draw up when he notices the proximity between them, notices he can see down the neck of Sebastian's shirt. His hands are ice cold and soft. His hair smells nice, like coconuts. Ciel sees the veins in Sebastian's neck when he pulls away with a small sound of content.

"That's cute."

"Can you - can you finish telling me about last night?" Ciel doesn't look at the senior, neck hot.

Sebastian gives a low chuckle. "Yes, I can. Anyway, I told him that you'd destroy him from behind the scenes and that everything I was doing to him was physical, was grunt work, you know? I told him that you're smart like that." He rubs at the back of his neck. "After I broke his finger, I told him that if he tried to get back at you, or - or anyone else involved, really, that'd there would be more from where _that_ came from."

"You sound like a real thug, don't you?" 

"I tried to. I wasn't really thinking."

Ciel's lips quirk gently and he touches at the crook of Sebastian's arm. "Do you - do you want to drive again? Not all of the cars are fixed, but yours is, and I thought since you've been going along with everything that I say, you deserve it." 

"Is it really fixed? I'd loved to, actually. Where would we go?"

 _We_ strikes a cord in Ciel's chest and he has to look away for a split second so he doesn't stab himself in the neck with the pen that's lying on the table. 

"We - we could go back to Hebizaka or to 109, whichever you prefer."

Sebastian nods and stands up. "I had more fun in Hebizaka. Let's go."

The ride there is silent.

Ciel stays in the car while Sebastian drives, windows down - even despite the junior's complaints about the cold. However, he feels just as alive as the driver, if not more so. Neither of them speak, but instead let the loud music playing on the radio fill the silence that wavers with the wind.

_Oh how strange and difficult / feigning innocence is / but show me / I'm seventeen and you don't know me_

Red eyes slowly slide to the right, glancing at the slender frame in the passenger side seat. Sebastian presses the gas a little harder than intended when he notices the set of Ciel's shoulder. He's sitting straight up in his seat, head turned to face the window, muscles so taut that the tendons in his neck stick out. Sebastian's fingers itch the volume dial a notch higher, sharply turning when they pass by a curve, making Ciel go flat against the triangle embrace of the seat belt, earning a scoff from the driver.

_How strange and beautiful / my lover sounds_

The stiff shoulders slant even further, straighter. The car swerves across a slanted hill.

_I try try try try try / to be qui- qui- quiet / your da- da- da- daddy's down the hall / but I I I I don't care at all_

Sebastian does not take his eyes of the road when he reaches over to tap Ciel on the arm, gently saying, "You okay?"

"I'd like to go home," Ciel says quietly, eye downcast. "To your home. All the times I've been there have been to lie to your father or to take you away from him."

_I'm seventeen / though you don't know / you can own me for tonight_

"I'd like - I'd like to know more about you." Teeth tug at a bottom lip. Ciel fiddles with his hands nervously. Sebastian finds something so goddamn endearing in his actions that he nearly reaches over to hug the boy. But for the off chance that that would disrupt Ciel's most intriguing posture, Sebastian settles for a short nod and swings the wheel around, heading back to Shibuya.

-

The house is quiet when they show up. Sebastian's father is gone - which Sebastian had mentioned on the ride there. The senior is almost hesitant to let Ciel into the house and its entirety, even though he's already been inside twice. It seems so shabby and measly compared to the apartment that Ciel calls home. 

They slip their shoes off by the threshold of the door, Sebastian offers a small token of, "I'm home" and then a, "you can sit down, I'll just be a minute," before wandering into the tiny kitchen to start tea. Ciel does as he's offered and sits on the ratty brown couch tucked against the wall. It's soft, well loved. The springs creak gently under the junior's weight, reminiscent of all that had sat and laid and loved and been on it.

There is a row of pictures on the adjacent wall: one of a smiling couple, freshly married; one of a smiling couple holding a round-cheeked baby; one of a young boy and a dog nearly just as big; one of a disgruntled looking teen and his father; that same teen and his mother; the teen, older, and a shiny black Cadillac.

"It was my father's," Sebastian says from behind Ciel, who pulls his fingers from the picture. He didn't even realize he'd crawled to them, or had been running his fingers of the features of a Sebastian in his early teens. "It was a 1992 Deville."

Sebastian offers a mug of pale colored tea to Ciel, who takes it with a muttered, "thanks."

"I loved that car. He gave it to me on my 15th birthday, despite my mother's complaints. She wanted me to have a proper British car, something small and quiet and demure." He scoffs and sits further back onto the couch. "She went on and on about this little 1962 AC Greyhound Saloon she found for weeks after he got me the Caddy. I didn't want it. I loved the Cadillac. It made me believe that I could do anything if I wanted to, I could go anywhere. It was the car that really started it all for me."

Ciel sips at the tea, which is sweet, like honey, and slightly spicy, like cinnamon.

Sebastian continues on, head back. His Adam's apple works enchantingly as he speaks, capturing Ciel's attention.

"I didn't start stealing cars until I was a freshman, I think. Joker got me into it, got me into all this mess. Whenever I was around cars, my mind went into two separate places. I would think about how fast they could go, how much they were worth - but then I'd think about the make, the model. I'd think about how good it would feel to have my hands on the wheel and just drive."

He breathes out a sigh and leans forward to set his cup on the squat little coffee table situated a few good inches away from the couch. Ciel looks enthralled, mouth slightly lax. Sebastian's eyes drop low, fixated for a second on the candy colored lips that are red with the winter cold and hot tea.

Ciel looks particularly childish in the low-light of the apartment. One big blue eye, relaxed red lips, glinting slivers of white teeth.

Sebastian's nostrils twitch as he looks away, sighing again.

"Now, I don't even care about the cost, about the horsepower or what's under the hood. I don't care. The only thing I care about is the way that I feel when I'm driving, or I'm racing. It's like I'm alive - really alive, not the way I was living back home." He motions to the picture of him and the Cadillac. "That truly was the first car I ever loved." 

Ciel nods, eyes focused on a stain on the carpet. 

"I understand that feeling. The first car I ever loved was a 1971 Torino my father bought off of a man at a garage sale. It was this horrid green color, but I loved it completely. I remember everything about it: it was a two door hardtop and there - there was a smiley face sticker on the passenger side mirror, and I loved it."

He shifts slightly, his thigh barely brushing Sebastian's. When had they gotten so close?

"I want you to keep feeling that way," he says slowly, forehead wrinkled. "When this whole racing thing started, I told you that I'd do whatever it took for you to be great. I want you to keep racing and to keep winning and keep feeling alive." The single blue eye opens and closes a few times before flicking up to the red ones. "I want you to feel good, to feel proud of yourself."

"I do," Sebastian says, a bit louder than he intended, which is obvious in the sudden jump of Ciel's shoulders. "Whether I win or lose, driving makes me feel good." He stands up, hand brushing Ciel's. "I still - I still have both of those boxes in my room. I haven't spent any of the money, either. Maybe," he says, voice trailing off as he ducks into the tiny closet to point out both steel boxes, "maybe we could put the money towards fixing the cars, if you'd like."

All of a sudden, Ciel is up on his feet. 

"I don't need your help."

"Well, I ju-"

"No. I'm here to help you. It's not the other way around, and it never will be. It doesn't matter what I like, or what I want, or what I care about! No one has ever cared about that stuff."

Sebastian steps forward, hands grabbing at Ciel's biceps, holding him still. "Hey, stop. Stop. Look at me. Come on, Ciel, look at me." When the junior doesn't stop trying to squirm out of his grasp, Sebastian slips his hands up to Ciel's face, on either sides, keeping him in place, nose inches away from Sebastian's chest. "I care about that stuff."

"Only because I'm doing this for you - because I'm being generous."

"You're wrong. I care because I care about _you_. People care about others for more reasons than money. I don't care if you're being generous."

A muscle in Ciel's jaw twitches. "So, you're saying that I could drop this whole thing, that I could stop letting you race, and you wouldn't care? You're saying that you wouldn't be angry with me?"

Sebastian doesn't move. He remains unwavering, eyes set on Ciel's face. "I'd be furious. I'd be absolutely livid, but I wouldn't alienate or leave you alone because of it."

The shorter male's face goes red and he pulls himself out of Sebastian's grip, arms crossed. 

"Don't worry," Ciel says in a warbling voice, head turned away, "I'm not going to make you stop driving. I still have plans of making you the best driver in all of Japan, even if it takes my entire life. I'm going to do it. I promised you that I would, and I intend to keep that promise."

There is a lapse of silence: no words, just one looking at the other.

"Thank you. Truly, thank you. For everything," Sebastian says, moving to get closer. His fingers graze the underside of Ciel's jaw, causing the junior to look up with heavily lashed eyes. "I mean it - every word I've ever said to you, I meant it."

Ciel's throat works against a nervous swallow as Sebastian comes ever closer. He's frozen, rooted to the spot. Nervous. _Nervous_. His heart threatens to leap from his throat as the senior's features blur before his eyes, which he squeezes shut. He's waiting, waiting, waiting. 

_If you're going to do it, hurry!_

However, nothing happens. 

Ciel opens his eyes to see Sebastian sitting on the couch, drinking tea. The eyes widen as his lips pull into a snarl.

"You insufferable bastard! Take me home! Right now!"


	10. Hifu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to school, not so back to normal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY TENTH CHAPTER!!!! wow this is uh. this is like a milestone for me. hope you all liked the last update. cos i did.
> 
> be prepared for a little surprise in this chapter hehehe (two surprises????)
> 
> also if you'd like.. . follow me on tumblr: jaegerunit
> 
> happy new year guys!!!!!!
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

It snows the day they go back to school: big, fat flakes that stick into eyelashes and hair, onto coats and cars. Ciel looks irritated when Sebastian meets him the parking lot in the morning, nose red from the cold. There's a pale gray scarf tugged up around his neck and face, which only adds the the upset expression. His thin body looks slightly awkward in the school uniform, too long in the legs and arms, too loose in the chest.

"Are you really that mad to be back?"

The junior scoffs as they start walking towards the school's front entrance. "I'm more mad about how completely inconsiderate some people are. But that's besides the point." He slips off his boots and pauses to pull on his school shoes, giving a thin girl time to run over to them. There are dark colored braces slipped over both of her knees, partially hidden by equally dark socks. Eyes as green as emeralds, hair as black as an oil spill. Tiny fabric points poke up through her hair, and Ciel almost thinks that they're cat ears. She's from his class: Sullivan, the girl with only one friend. Ciel has never talked to her for long periods of time, has only ever spoken to her to ask for pieces of paper or printouts or the answers to a question he missed.

"C-Ciel?" she stutters out in Japanese, eyes on the ground. "Can I t-tell you so-something?" 

He tilts his head towards Sebastian, who shrugs, and nods. "Of course."

The girl bends at the waist into a bow, arms straight down by her sides, making Ciel step back slightly. "I like you!" she blurts out, hair falling like sleek black ribbons to obscure her face. "I really like you!" There is a collective sound of people holding their breaths, Sebastian included. Other students coming into the entrance have stopped, are watching, waiting, to see if he rejects her or not. Ciel's eye goes from the girl to Sebastian. He looks nonchalant in his face and body posture, but his eyes give it all away. The crimson orbs are wide, unblinking. He's scared, scared Ciel will say _yes_.

Sebastian had picked up on Japanese rather quickly lately. He can listen to it and speak it much better than he can read and write it.

"I'm sorry," the junior says after a few moments, quietly, gently. "Your name is Sullivan, right?" 

The girl slowly straightens up out of her bow, mouth twitching gently. Tears well in her eyes and stream down her face. "Y-yes, that's right."

Ciel smiles, head angling to the left. "I'm very flattered, but in all honesty, there's someone else that I'm interested in. I'm very sorry. Maybe, instead, we could be friends? Would you like that?" He digs a handkerchief out of his pocket and wipes at her face. "A pretty girl like you shouldn't be crying like this."

She breathes out a mint scented laugh and sniffs gently. "Yes, I would like that. I'm sorry about asking you like this." A shadow appears over her shoulder - it's Wolfram, her only other friend. He's a German transfer student that towers over everyone else, even Sebastian. 

"We should get to class," he grunts in an accented voice, head dropping heavily towards her after he shoots the other people still standing around and staring wilting glares that send them scattering. Sullivan nods, gives a curt goodbye to Ciel, and hurries off, holding onto Wolfram's bicep. 

"Well that was interesting," Ciel says, an odd smile on his face as he saunters back over to Sebastian. "I've never been confessed to before."

Sebastian blinks a few times before he picks up his bag. "Really? You seem like the type to get confessed to at least once a week."

"Well, Alois confessed to me the year I moved here, but I don't count that leech as a confession."

"That's not very nice," the blond says in Ciel's ear, snaking two arms around his waist. "And here I was, under the impression that we were friends this whole time. Is that really what you think about me? That I'm a leech?" Ciel makes a small hissing noise as he tries to pull himself out of Alois' grip, which shows no signs of moving. "Come on, Phantomhive. We have to get to class and talk about some things. Goodbye, Sebastian." He wiggles his fingers in a wave while dragging a red-faced Ciel down the hallway, disappearing from Sebastian's line of sight.

-

"So, I heard you got confessed to by Greenwich."

Ciel grits his teeth and tries to ignore Alois' voice from his left. He doesn't want to have any more excitement this early in the morning, meaning he doesn't want to get into trouble already. 

"Phantomhive!" Alois hisses, jabbing the eraser end of his pencil into Ciel's side. "Tell me about Greenwich!"

The raven-haired junior jerks his head in Alois' direction, jaw twitching. "Don't call her that. Shut up. I'm trying to work." Alois makes a mocking noise and sticks Ciel's side once more.

"Well, will you at least tell me about how you and Sebastian totally banged over winter break?"

Ciel rises with a start, drawing all eyes, excluding those of the ever oblivious teacher's, grabbing the pencil from Alois' slender fingers. "We didn't!" he shouts in English, color high in the apples of his cheeks.

"Relax, Phantomhive. Unbristle," the flirtatious blond teases as Ciel sits down, allowing the room to fill with the monotonous droning of their teacher once more.

Ciel ignores Alois' requests to eat lunch together and instead directly goes to Sebastian's usual table.

The other three students are busy chatting and eating, while Sebastian sits quietly, blankly staring into the broth of his soup. 

"How long do you plan to meditate over your food?" Ciel asks lightly, sitting beside the senior. He'd packed a lunch box before coming to school, his first in all of his years spent in Japan. It's shoddily made: sadly rolled eggs, oddly shaped onigiri, uncut sausages. 

The senior's eyes roll upwards slowly, before dipping back down to the food.

"Did you make that?"

"Yes, why?"

"It's horribly ugly."

Ciel grimaces, tinted mouth pulling downwards as he pulls out a pair of crafted chopsticks, lined with intricate designs. "Thank you for acknowledging my attempts," he says, picking up a slice of rolled egg, inspecting it closely before he pops it into his mouth with a single motion. Sebastian's fingers tighten into a fist under the table when he sees the careful movements of Ciel's jaw working against the food. "It's actually not that bad," he notes, poking at the food thoughtfully.

The quiet senior runs his tongue over his top teeth and allows his eyes to flicker up to Ciel, whose mouth quirks.

"Would you like to try some?"

Mey-rin makes a gasping sound that draws Ciel's attention back to them - the others have been quietly watching this whole time. Bard tries to pass off a neck pain as his excuse for looking and Finny pretends to drop his wooden chopsticks to the floor, feeling around on the tile like a blind man. They're used to Ciel, used to his aloofness and used to the way he acts when he doesn't want to come off as weak, as nice. They're used to hearing him yell, hearing him scream and argue and bicker. They're used to him being polite as well, used to seeing him _ooze_ false kindness.

But the one thing they aren't used to is true kindness.

He's nice to them, gives them breaks and holidays and pays them well, but he's never truly kind. He isn't sociable, which the three are also used to, or anything even close to a fresh summer breeze as a client once likened him to. None of those things describe Ciel - at least the Ciel that Mey-rin, Finnian, and Baldroy respectively know. 

A grin twitches against Sebastian's mouth.

"Yes, I'd like that very much." 

Slender fingers direct a pair of ebony chopsticks towards upturned lips that open to reveal pale teeth and a cherry colored tongue. The thick wad of egg is pushed past Sebastian's teeth and he is careful not to get saliva on the ends of the utensils. He chews thoughtfully, slowly letting his eyes close as he tastes every inch of delicateness put into Ciel's cooking. He is delicate through and through, gentle in all of his mannerisms, cautious in every sense of the word. 

He smiles. "You have the beginnings of a chef," Sebastian says as soon as his mouth isn't full anymore, "but only the beginnings." He sticks his index finger and thumb into his mouth, pulling something small and white from off of his tongue.

Ciel's smile falls.

"You have to be careful when you crack the eggs, Ciel."

The junior is upstanding, leering over the table, teeth bared. "Don't do me any favors," he whispers lowly in Japanese, snatching the box from the tabletop as he slinks off, neck hot with shame. The trio visibly relax in sync, shoulders all dropping when Ciel hurries away, arms curled protectively around his lunch. 

Finny speaks forward, leaning past Bard to look at Sebastian.

"Y'know, you really shouldn't tease him like that. He's only trying his hardest to be thoughtful, which is odd, but it's sort of nice to see. Just... go easy on him, okay?" He smiles, something sweet and earnest. "Ciel is a really good guy, but he doesn't always know how to express his feelings. He's good at lying and hiding things deep down inside" - Sebastian tries to think about things when he says that - "but he's very nice. I know he likes to come off as though he doesn't care about others, or that he likes to pretend others don't care about him, but none of that is true." 

Mey-rin pushes up her glasses, making small worrisome noises. "It's true! W-we care about him very much! Ciel has always been nice to us. He's had a - a hard childhood, but he's still very kind! When he cares about people, he truly cares for them! That's why he's never mean to Alois, because even if he annoys Ciel, they're still friends and Ciel values his friends! That's why he's doing what he's doing for you - because he considers you a friend!"

"They're right, you know," Bard interjects, setting down his fork. "Boss seems cold and complicated, but he's very simple and easy to understand when you take the time to. If he tells you he cares about you, Boss really means it. If he considers you a friend, he'll never let you down. If Boss makes you a promise, he'll fulfill it, no matter what. So, it's okay if you tease him every once in a while, but you should really be more considerate of how and when you do it. He may not seem the type, but he takes things to heart pretty easy. Just... think about him a little more, okay?"

Sebastian returns his eyes to the soup, blinking slowly.

"I don't know if it's possible," he starts, letting the unspoken words linger between the three. In an instant, they all know the rest of the sentence: _for me to think about you more than I already do._

-

Ciel is still sulking when he meets Sebastian in the parking lot, begrudgingly handing him the keys to the same Saab that Ciel had drove to school once, nearly a month ago. They speed down the street, past the usual turn towards Sebastian's house, which makes Ciel twist in his seat to point out the curve.

"You missed the -"

"I'm aware," Sebastian says, eyes on the road. "I'm taking you somewhere. I think you'll enjoy it. Consider it a late birthday present."

Ciel fiddles with the heat, just like normal. The senior reminds himself to keep his eyes ahead, instead of focusing on Ciel's fingers in the way that he'd like.

"It's January," is all the passenger says, mouth twitching into a subtle smile.

"Well, I wasn't aware that your birthday was in December until we were France, and I didn't exactly have euros on me to buy you a present or anything, so you'll have to forgive me."

Ciel scoffs, a rather impolite sound formed in the back of his throat, fully residing somewhere in his nose. "You're forgiven," he says, crossing his arms across his thin chest. "But if this _present_  isn't up to par with my standards, I'll be disappointed."

"You've seen where I live - nothing I do will be up to par with your standards."

"That's not true," Ciel says, sitting up straighter as Sebastian begins to slow the car in front of a decrepit-looking set of buildings, reminiscent of Undertaker's shop in Mita in Minato. "Stop putting words in my mouth."

"Yes, yes. I'll try."

Sebastian moves to stand behind Ciel, slipping his hands over the younger boy's eyes, whose shoulders jump as he protests and tries to squirm away, grabbing at the senior's fingers. He'd never truly noticed how big Sebastian's hands are, but now, he has a pretty good idea. They're cool and soft, with rough patches only along the pads of his fingers. Ciel stills, fingers still curled around Sebastian's, allowing him to direct him into the building, through the door. Light seeps through the cracks between Sebastian's fingers, making Ciel cringe against his chest. 

"You can look now," the senior says as he pulls his hands back and steps away, allowing Ciel's eyes to adjust to the fluorescent lighting overhead.

The building is more or less an empty warehouse, lingering momentos of cardboard boxes and rusted screws still around the room, but the only thing that catches Ciel's attention is the car situated in the middle.

He swallows hard, moving forward to the Torino that glints like ice in the lighting.

"It - uh, took me a while to find someone who would sell it to me for cheap, but I did it. It took all the money that I won from racing," Sebastian says from behind an astonished Ciel. "The guy didn't speak English, but Finny and Bard and Mey-rin came with me, so I had them to help me out. Bard did the paint job for me, and Finny found the sticker... I wasn't exactly sure if it was the right color, but I really hope you like it."

Ciel turns around, rubbing at his visible eye.

"You - you did all of this? In the three days before school started up again? That's ridiculous. You spent all of your money on this?"

He scoffs, shoulders trembling slightly.

Sebastian steps forward, wringing his hands nervously.

"Do you like it?"

"Are you kidding?" Ciel's voice is harsh, like jagged steel. "You're an idiot! Why did you do this? Huh? What on Earth would possess you to do something like this? Did you - did you think that this was funny or something? Well, it isn't. Why would you do this?"

Sebastian makes a face, a mask of hurt flickering across his fine features. Ciel hugs himself, fingers twitching nervously against his skin. 

"I love it," he says after a moment of painful silence. "I just don't understand why you'd do this for someone like me."

"Because of everything you've done for me. It's only fair if I return the favor."

Ciel runs his fingertips over the hood of the car, carefully, gently, delicately, lovingly. "I'm doing any of this as a favor," he says quietly, not looking at Sebastian. "I don't expect anything in return. I don't expect you to do my homework or help fix cars or anything like that. I expect you to win and that's it. Nothing more. I certainly don't expect things like this." 

"I didn't do it because you expected it," Sebastian murmurs, suddenly much closer than he'd been before. He's close enough for Ciel to smell his deodorant, which is sharp and clean. "I did it because you weren't expecting it. I wanted to surprise you. I wanted to do something for you." He touches at the small of Ciel's back gingerly. "I did it because I care about you."

The junior turns slowly, mouth dropped slightly.

"What?"

"I care about you. The three at lunch, they told me that you didn't feel like people cared about you, but I'm telling you, as forwardly as I can, that I care about you. Genuinely, I do. Not because you're giving me cars or because you took me to France. Because I want to."

Ciel's throat works nervously, petite Adam's apple bobbing minutely. 

Sebastian steps forward, tilting Ciel's chin up.

"I'm doing it because I like you."

There's a pause, leaving red against blue, blue against red, mouth against mouth.

 


	11. Hitsuyou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unexpected. It's all unexpected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY LITERALLY I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD GET ALL THOSE LOVELY COMMENTS ON THE LAST CHAPTER SO THANK YOU ALL VERY VERY MUCH 
> 
> 30k words. wow. i'm impressed with myself. 
> 
> mmmm probably not my best chapter but here it is anyway kiddos
> 
> uh // brief mention of drug use and violence in this chapter //
> 
> hope you guys are all well.
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

Sebastian had been wrong. Well, not entirely wrong, but not entirely right either. Ciel's lips are sweet, but not in the way that he had imagined them to be. They're soft and gentle, and taste faintly of fruit. Like strawberries. 

The first kiss in itself is chaste and hurried: a collision of chests and teeth, bones clanging together. Sebastian's hands cup Ciel's jaw upwards, thumbs drawing absent circles against his cheeks as they kiss. 

Ciel's own hands are busy against Sebastian's sides, fingers twitching into the fabric of his thin shirt.

They do not part until Ciel tugs at Sebastian's bottom lip with porcelain teeth. The senior gently pulls away, allowing Ciel to settle back onto his feet. He'd risen up on his toes to press back into the kiss, almost desperate for contact. It's unlike him, to want something so badly that it physically makes his chest hurt. 

"Sweet," is the first word to come out of Sebastian's mouth, slowly, like water rolling over rocks. He steps backwards, eyes flicking around the warehouse before returning to Ciel. He rubs at the back of his neck and lets out the tiniest of breaths. "Sorry. I wasn't - didn't expect it to go that way at all, actually." The gentle movement of Ciel's chest rising and falling with every excited breath holds the senior's attention for a short while, until the chest's owner speaks.

"You - you really don't have to apologize," Ciel says quietly, voice almost inaudible over the sound of rushing blood that roars in his ears. "It was also unexpected, but still very good." He makes a face, one of bemused enjoyment, brows slightly drawn together. He looks around at the warehouse, hands smoothing out his shirt. "I never thought my first kiss would be in a place like this."

Sebastian stills in his spot, eyes moving up to Ciel's face.

"Excuse me? First kiss?"

Ciel opens his mouth and makes a small sound. "Well, Lizzie was my first kiss, but I don't really consider something that happened when we were toddlers as a 'first kiss,' so yes, this is, technically, my first kiss."

The senior covers his mouth with one hand and draws it down his face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"Sorry for what? I told you to stop apologizing to me, too."

Sebastian runs a thumb along Ciel's cheek. "If I had known that it was your first kiss, I would've asked first, would've made it someplace not... here." He flicks his eyes over the shorter male's features and leans back in, only to be interrupted by Ciel's phone rattling in his pocket. The junior's jaw works irritably as he pulls the ringing device out and presses it against his ear.

"This had better be good," he snaps in Japanese, leaning against the Torino. His shoulders twitch when the person on the other line says something hurriedly, nearly screaming. "Wait - slow dow- what? They?" Ciel straightens up against the car's door, sapphire eye darting to Sebastian, wide, unblinking. His nostrils twitch gently and his throat works out a swallow, just before a smile captures his face. The smile is bloodthirsty, evil almost. "Very good. Give me directions. And tell Soma and Agni that I said good job, yeah? You can all leave the factory for tonight. Thank you."

He hangs up and slips the phone back into his pocket.

"What was that?" Sebastian slips into spot beside Ciel, who smirks, leaning forward to look at him better.

"Soma and Agni found Chamber. We're going to take a little road trip."

-

The drive to the tiny bathhouse out in Osaka is long and quiet. Ciel calls Sebastian's father to tell him that they have another project to work on again and that Sebastian will be spending the night, which Sebastian's father agrees to because "it's good for him to have friends, even if it is the child of his favorite car company." Ciel believes that the senior's father is getting quieter, kinder even. 

Ciel leads the way in the Torino, and Sebastian follows behind in the Saab. 

After nearly five hours of driving, Ciel parks in front of a run-down little shop that leaks smoke from nooks and crevices in its walls and roof. They each get out and walk side by side into the bathhouse. A middle-aged man with thick glasses sits at a desk, playing a game of Sudoku. He scratches behind his ear with the pen when the two show up in front of him, mouth slightly open.

"Can I help you?" he asks in an accent that is almost positively Kanto, setting the pen down.

Ciel steps forward, resting his hand on the counter. 

"Yes, I'd like two bath tokens," he says kindly, setting a few yen onto the fake wood. The man scratches at his mouth and shrugs.

"Sure. What room do you want?" 

The junior's voice lowers as his visible eye narrows; the man shrinks back slightly. "Give me whatever room Aleister Chamber is in." Sebastian towers over Ciel, shoulders held as wide as he can make them, trying to be visibly intimidating to back up the tiny 17 year old with an eye patch. His lips shift into a sneer, something sinister and deadly. The bathhouse worker reaches into a box of loose keys and feels around for one, eyes never leaving the two in front of him.

"If - if you guys are _yakuza_ or something, please - I - I have a wife and a family," he whimpers while handing the key to Ciel.

"Don't worry," Ciel says with a wave of his hand, motioning for Sebastian to follow him, "no one else will get caught up in this mess. I promise. You and the others here will not be hurt, and your work will not be damaged or interfered with." He pauses and turns back to the man, who ducks down into his shoulders. "Could you tell me what room he's in?"

"Four - it's, uh, down on the end..."

Sebastian relaxes his posture slightly as they slip into a changing room and bathrobes, and then follow the hallway down to the end, down to room number four. He can see down the neck of Ciel's robe and has to look away when the smaller teen opens the door, allowing smoke to seep out. There's a gentle splashing noise, followed by a sharp, "Hey! You can't be in here. This is a private room."

"Is it really?" The door shuts just as the duo enter the room. Chamber sits in the middle of an in-ground bath, hair piled on top of his head in a bun. His skin is slightly pink from the heat, and his finger is wrapped in a splint and held out of the water. Sebastian scoffs once the king looks at them and shrieks, trying to scramble out of the water. The towel he's wearing wrapped around his waist is soaking wet and drags water across the floor, causing him to slip on the tile when he backs away into a corner.

Ciel stands with his hands on his hips, bent at the waist. Sebastian still towers behind him, like a wall.

"It - it's you guys! Phantomhive and uh - um... Car kid!"

Sebastian's mouth twitches into an irritated smile. "Call me that again and see what happens," he mutters as Ciel moves forward in front of Chamber, arms crossed over his thin chest.

"Tell me who the _yankii_ were," he says, head tilted slightly. "If you tell me, we'll leave you alone forever."

Chamber makes a whimpering noise, arms held crossed over his head. 

"I - I don't know their names! I'm honest! They - they work in the streets in Shinjuku, that's all I know, I swear!"

"Do you remember what they look like?"

His hands tremble as he lowers his arms, squinting against the harsh fluorescent light from overhead. Chamber looks small and vulnerable like that, kneeling on the floor, drenched in bathwater. Lavender eyes lock onto a spot somewhere above Ciel's head as he manages to speak. "Uh - o-one of them was kind of short, with two-tone hair... one of them had a scar on his face... and the other one didn't speak very much and had really small eyes."

Ciel's teeth come together with an audible clack that makes Sebastian's shoulders tense up.

"See, I knew you'd remember. Come on, Sebastian. I know who we have to get."

-

Lau doesn't even blink when they burst into his underground hideout. Instead, he shoos a girl from his lap and leans forward to pike up an pipe with a jade inlay. The smoke that comes out is bitter smelling and makes Ciel wrinkle his nose rather than stepping fully forward in the way that he'd like. 

"It's been a while," the man say, sitting up to look at them better, a smile on his face. 

Ciel's jaw tenses as Sebastian's fingers press into the small of his back, reassuringly, comfortingly. In an instant, they all move: Lau grabs Ciel by the hair closest to his scalp, the barrel of a gun is tucked neatly underneath Lau's jaw, another muzzle is pressed into the back of Sebastian's head. In an instant, they are all still.

"Let him go," an accented voice behind Sebastian rasps out in Japanese. Lau tugs harder on Ciel's hair but the gun under his jaw does not move, and neither does the one pressed against Sebastian's head. The voice's owner walks around, stepping into the pale light that streams through a skylight. He's thick and muscular, with gelled back dirty-blond hair and a scar that crosses over the bridge of his nose. 

The person behind Sebastian shifts their hold on the gun, pressing harder into his hair. It doesn't necessarily hurt, but Sebastian is too busy paying attention to the way Lau's fingers are curled into Ciel's scalp to notice. 

"Drop the gun or he'll blow your friend's brains out," the man says lowly, motioning to whoever is behind Sebastian. The rocky sound of the hammer being pulled back echoes around Sebastian's skull. Ciel's throat convulses into a swallow, pausing momentarily before he drops the gun. Lau lets go of his hair and allows both boys to slink away to the outer edge of the room. 

The person that had pushed the gun into Sebastian's head is slightly scrawny looking, with two-toned hair, black glasses, and shockingly green eyes.

Ciel grits his teeth, baring them like some sort of animal. 

"I know that Aleister Chamber paid you to destroy my cars," he starts off, bracing his shoulders in an oddly wide angle, trying to make himself seem larger. Sebastian doesn't have the heart to tell him that it isn't working very well. "I want - I want to know why you accepted his offer."

Lau returns to the couch, mouth quirked into a smile. "I'll tell you why I did it -"

"Do you think that's really a good idea?" Two-tone asks, sticking the gun into the waistband of his pants. 

Squinted eyes slowly open to reveal brown irises and heavily dilated pupils. "Did I ask you, Ronald? If I was going to ask for your opinion, I would've done it already. Now, be quiet or I'll kill you." The kid steps backwards into the shadows, allowing Lau to continue his speech. "I did it for the money, mostly, but also because I'm sick of you, Phantomhive." There's tension in the air, tension in the way that Ciel slips his fingers around Sebastian's wrist, almost nervously. "I'm sick of you and your little lapdog." The eyes flick hauntingly to Sebastian. "You probably don't even remember racing me, do you?"

"I do."

He scoffs and lifts the pipe up to his lips, inhaling for a few seconds. "It sucked," Lau says, letting smoke slip through his clenched teeth, "losing to you, you know. Some wet-behind-the-ears brat with the idiotic notion that he could drive. It was _humiliating_. That's why I did it, basically." He glances at Scar-face and nods in his direction. "Azzurro? What about you?"

"Money," Scar-face grunts unbecomingly, thick arms crossed over his chest.

"And you, Ronald?"

"It was just somethin' to do."

Ciel nudges Sebastian and holds up a finger subtly to his lips, avoiding the eyes of the three other men briefly before stepping into the light. "Chamber is missing," he says, a slight smile on his mouth, "but we found him. He told us everything about you three, and I plan to use it all to my advantages, gentlemen."

Azzurro is up and charging at Ciel, but Sebastian steps into his way, intimidating enough to get the blond to back off like a startled dog. 

"Back off." 

"Lau, how about we come to an agreement?" Ciel asks, hands held out in a display of sincerity. When the man doesn't respond, Ciel takes it upon himself to continue. "I have one request - race Sebastian. If you win, I'll forget this whole thing ever happened and allow you to go on with your lives, all of you. _But_ , if you lose," he starts, visible eye narrowing to a slit, "you're dead."

Thin lips curl upwards into a smile to reveal neatly aligned teeth the color of milk. 

"Very well, little lord. You're on. Where and when?"

Ciel jerks his head to the door, hands in his pockets. "Now, outside. I'd say we're quite a ways away from public eye, wouldn't you, Sebastian? Why not now? Why not here? There's no better time or place. Unless, of course" - a cold smile takes up Ciel's face - "you're scared."

"I'm not. I've never walked away from a race, and I won't start now. We'll start from the Skyscraper District and end in Kabukicho. I have some business there, so why not end the night in a place I need to be?"

Sebastian's protective stance in front of Ciel doesn't drop until the smaller boy grabs him by the arm and tugs him from the building into the cool, dark night.

-

Shinjuku is fully alive by the time they're settled into the cars: Lau takes up a sleek, dark blue 2014 BMW M6 while Sebastian relaxes in the Saab. It's not exactly a sports car per se, but it's comfortable, cozy. He thinks about Ciel's Mustang the first night he raced Lau and briefly wishes he were back in it. He thinks about Lau's Charger and wonders why he doesn't have it - _why did he chose a BMW?_

Ciel taps on the window of the Saab and leans into the frame once Sebastian rolls the glass down. Before he even has time to blink, Ciel crushes a quick kiss to his lips, fast and fleeting. 

"You'd better win. I don't care if you wreck the Saab - it's junk anyway - but you'd better win. If you don't, I'll stop everything. No more cars, no more racing. I may even tell your father what you've been doing." Sebastian can tell that the boy is irritated by the stretch of his shoulders. He nods, brows raising with the movement. 

"Don't worry. I don't plan to lose to Lau. I've already won once, I can do it again."

The junior tilts his head slightly, a smirk playing on his candy colored lips. "Remember that he was our best before you came along. Don't get ahead of yourself." His face suddenly goes serious when he pokes a finger into Sebastian's chest. "I mean it. I will not hesitate to cut you down."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you." Once Ciel is safely tucked into his car and heading North to the Red Light District of Kabukicho, the two racers rumble along side the other, revving and roaring, like frat boys circling the other before getting in a fight to become the BMOC. Wine colored eyes narrow and slide to dark brown eyes, ready as ever. Neither of them speak as a gunshot goes off, signaling the beginning of the race. 

Lau streaks out ahead of the Saab, which is to be expected. He's not struggling behind the wheel of the BMW in the way that Sebastian is with the 9-3. The car barely reaches 200 HP, unlike the M6. Top teeth grind into bottom teeth as Sebastian floors the car, angling himself around a corner that Lau has already passed. There is roughly a two minute drive to Kabukicho, and Lau is already halfway in front of Sebastian.

The car's tires squeal when Sebastian forces it into overdrive, screaming down the street fast enough to barely slip past the BMW, past civilians, past other cars, past buildings. He has to win, _has_ to. If he loses, Ciel will ultimately stop everything, and Sebastian would rather die than have that happen. He leans into the seat when he takes a sharp turn, dodging a red light by the breadth of a second. Lau doesn't stop and nearly plows into three oncoming cars. He'd rather die than have Ciel stop everything. Sebastian would rather die than have Ciel give up and leave him.

Brightly lit love motels are in sight, with all their dancing neon hearts and colorful signs and darkly colored clothes of patrons. 

He ignores the sounds of shrill laughter and loud voices, only pays attention to the blood roaring in his ears and the screeching tires underneath him. He thinks about Ciel, about him smiling and cheering when the Saab crosses the finish line, just in the way Sebastian knows it will. He knows that Ciel won't jeer for him or make any motions of celebration for him, but he knows that he will be rewarded. 

However, just as he drives past a shocked looking Ciel, the sound of crinkling metal cuts off that of booing from Lau's goons. Sebastian watches as Ciel's face goes from shocked to horrified when the front of the BMW smashes into the back of the Saab, loudly, angrily. 

"How could you beat me?!" Lau screams when they're both out of the cars. Sebastian is fine, albeit shaken. "How did you beat me... in a 9-3?" His voice goes quiet when he grits his teeth in anger. The lights of Kabukicho glitter behind him, enchantingly beautiful. 

Ciel is by Sebastian's side, silently watching as the others, Ronald and Azzurro, help Lau away, leaving both cars abandoned. He is quiet for a moment or two, just standing beside the senior without moving. Sebastian doesn't speak, and Ciel doesn't really expect him to. 

"Congratulations," he says before stepping away from Sebastian, hands in his pockets. "Just leave the car. Let's go home."


	12. Yuurei

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to step up or step out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok ok ok i promise that this chap will be much better than the last update
> 
> i am still patiently waiting for book of murder to come out... but for now i guess i will have to reread the manga or something and just be patient and endure the wait
> 
> you would not know how many times ive typed 'cieling' instead of ceiling
> 
> also .. .i was re-watching clips from the kuro musicals and i just ... i wanted to fall into a hole... i still remember all of the words and some of the dance moves from 'shinigami haken kyoukai no theme' .... freshman year was just a very very very VERY dark time that we don't talk about. anyway
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

The ride back to Ciel's apartment is almost painfully quiet - it's suffocating. The junior keeps his face towards the window the whole time, watching the scenery flicker by in a dizzying dance, all swirling lights are colors. He has half a mind to mess with the heat, but Sebastian has already taken care of it and frankly, it's irritating. What's even more irritating than that is that he doesn't even know _why_ he's irritated. 

Perhaps it's because Sebastian has rooted himself deep under Ciel's skin, has dug his claws so deep that Ciel can't shake him off - if he wanted to. He doesn't. He likes Sebastian, likes his company, likes the way that he's doted on by the senior. Maybe it's the way that Sebastian's company doesn't feel like forced company, or that's he being led around by his tie all the time in the way that he does with Alois. 

If Lizzie were here, he would call her and talk to her about it. She's annoying and cries all the time, but when the time comes, the blonde is very useful. 

A blue eye slides to Sebastian's direction, slow and subtle. 

The ruby colored eyes stare straight ahead, glinting in the streetlights that pass, blinking in quick moments that make his lashes flutter. His hands are finely boned and white-knuckled against the steering wheel. Ciel lets his eyes drop to Sebastian's neck, which is slender and pale. It dips into prominent collar bones and lead out to thin shoulders and slender arms. 

He looks forward again.

"When is a monster not a monster?"

"Huh?" Sebastian turns his head for a quick second to look at Ciel, brows knit. "What did you say?"

The junior's shoulders twitch minutely. "When is a monster not a monster?"

"Is this a riddle or something?" 

Ciel grits his teeth and fiddles with one of the buttons on his jacket. "Just answer the question."

Sebastian chuckles and returns his eyes to the road. It's silent while he thinks and Ciel can only focus on the way his chest moves as he breathes. After a good, long while, the senior brings the car to a stop at a red-light and angles his head towards Ciel. "A monster stops being a monster when you love it, right?" Ciel doesn't speak - just closes his eyes and leans his head against its rest, quiet and still. Lizzie had forced him to read poetry over the summer before. Every kind of poetry: sonnets, rhyming, freeverse, poetry with short words, long words, flowery language that kissed and skimmed hearts, angry language that bit and shook and refused to let go. He didn't necessarily dislike what he had read; he had hoarded it away in some deep, deep place down inside himself, carried inside his eggshell heart.

When they get home, it's nearly midnight. Neither of them talk as the go inside and quietly change into pajamas, Ciel's silk and Sebastian's borrowed. He lays out the futon and quietly worms his way in. The fabric still smells like Ciel, but it's different in the way it was before. It's a sharp smell, like fabric softener. The lights go off and they're both quiet.

After a while, Sebastian rolls over onto his stomach. "Are you mad at me?"

There's a long pause and the senior fancies the thought that Ciel is asleep for a moment, until he speaks quietly. "No, I'm not mad. Why would you think that?"

"You seemed mad back there."

Ciel's shifts in his bed, Sebastian listens to the rustling of the fabric that clings to his body. "If I'm mad, you'll know." He sits up and can just barely make out Sebastian's form in the dark. "I'm not very good at... conveying my emotions across in appropriate ways, but you will know if I'm upset or angry. You can ask those three at the garage if you don't believe me."

"I believe you. Were you really going to stop everything if I lost to Lau tonight?"

"No. I was merely giving you incentive to win. There's no way I'd stop everything. I've worked to hard to get you to where you are. Nina's finding more people for you to race, I'm sure - so you'll have all that money back in no time."

Sebastian shifts back onto his back, hands resting at his sides. "It's not about the money," he says, staring up at the ceiling. "It's never been about the money. If I'm being honest with myself, it's just about driving - about being free. Those few last seconds of a race are when I feel the most alive. "

"Being completely honest with yourself? Do you lie to yourself a lot?"

The senior sits up and turns to face Ciel, whom he is surprised to see is also sitting up. "Just about the things that matter."

"Racing really means a lot to you, doesn't it?"

"More than anything else in the world," he says, admiring the way that Ciel's teeth catch the pale light coming in from a crack between the heavily hung curtains. "It's all I know." There is another lapse of silence, calm and soothing. The two teens simply sit and stare at each other, never moving or speaking until Ciel shifts in bed, knees moving upwards as his head moves downward to hit the pillow. 

Sebastian listens to the boy get settled before he does the same. 

"You know, I was lying when I said that I would cut off the racing," Ciel murmurs, tugging the blankets up to his chin. "I wouldn't do that to you. I'm not all heartless. It was merely incentive - a scare tactic. I wanted you to want to win. I knew that if you had some force behind you, you'd definitely be able to pass Lau, even in a sad little Saab. I'm impressed. Since this started, I've known you were a good driver, but this - this really sealed the deal for me."

The senior smiles into the darkness, eyes unfocused on the ceiling. 

"Thank you. It truly does mean a lot to hear that from you. Never in my life did I imagine I'd end up being friends with the son of the man who started Funtom."

Ciel's shoulders stiffen underneath the comforter. He doesn't - really, really doesn't - want to imply anything or make any assumptions, but it seems like the right time. "Friends?" he asks, voice light and lilting. The futon catches the short sound of Sebastian moving: maybe it's his fingers curling into the sheets, maybe it's his head against the pillow, maybe it's his body going just as stiff as Ciel's.

"I don't know what we are," Sebastian says after a while, heart rattling in his chest. He's trying, really trying, to keep his voice even. "I mean - I kissed you, but it was all my idea, and it was fast, and I wasn't really sure if you were as into as I was and -"

"Stop rambling, you're giving me a headache. Go to sleep."

"Sorry." Sebastian wipes his sweaty hands against the front of his shirt, suddenly more nervous than he'd been before.

"Completely off the record, I was just as into it as you were."

A few more shifting sounds catch Ciel's attention as Sebastian squirms around under the futon, skin sticky with sweat. "Stop moving," he murmurs as he rolls over to press his face into the pillow, "just go to sleep. We'll settle everything in the morning."

-

The morning is cold and coaxes Ciel into a thick sweater and a heavy coat before he's even out of the house. Sebastian makes a cup of coffee before shrugging into his uniform (which someone - who would remain nameless because God help him, he'd rather die than have Sebastian find out about his weird little habits) and then pausing to slip on his shoes.

Ciel leans in the archway to the kitchen, watching Sebastian the way that any lead male role in a movie does as their newly-wedded spouse bustles around, scatterbrained and lazy. His movements are languid and lean, just like the rest of him, and the sleeve of his uniform jacket rides up when he raises the coffee mug to rose colored lips. The junior feels guilty in the way that Sebastian does all of this alone, silently - _as though he's being doing it his whole life._ That thought resonates soundly with Ciel and he walks into the kitchen to make his own coffee. 

"I don't usually drink coffee," Sebastian murmurs with the mug pressed to his lips, as quiet as a whisper. "Too bitter, I think."

Steam rises out of the top of the coffee machine, slow and rolling against the bottom of the cabinets. Ciel's fingers twitch near the handle of his own mug, idle and and listless. He leans against the island and glances at Sebastian while thick, black liquid juts out of the coffee maker's nozzle. They do not speak again until they're at school - they'd driven the 458 there. 

Alois is the first person to greet the duo, just as bubbly and annoyingly clingy as usual. He shimmies his way towards Ciel as he tucks his shoes into the tiny locker,  a piece of mint gum snagged between his teeth. 

"I heard that there's going to be a race tonight," is the first thing that slips from his cherry red lips, which give way to immaculately whitened teeth. "Back in Hachiko." Alois sidles up to Sebastian and stands in front of him, gripping the senior's tie between two fingers. He looks back at Ciel, still pulling at Sebastian's tie. "And I heard your boy is a main contestant."

Ciel straightens up, hitting the toe of his school shoe against the wooden floor. "Excuse me? Who did you hear this from?"

"Your greasy little trio from the garage - said Nina, or whatever her name was, found him an opponent." Alois' mouth itches into an impish smile, hideous and mean. "I heard it was Will."

The four letter name hangs in the air like heavy perfume, ill-fated and dense. Sebastian glances at Ciel, who has gone ghost-white and very still. His fingers slacken against the handle of school bag so far that it falls to the floor with a low clatter that sets Sebastian on edge. He stoops to pick it up, curls it back into Ciel's slender digits with feather light touches. 

The junior is silent for a moment or two and then blinks, shoulders rolling backwards. "You're joking," he says, head tilted. "Will hasn't raced in years - not since Funtom was switched over to me."

Students flurry forward as the first bell rings, loud and echoing against the walls of the narrow entrance. Ciel seems to get a jump-start when Alois grabs him by the sleeve of his jacket and pulls him away from Sebastian, chattering on the whole way to their classroom.

Ciel doesn't pay attention during any of his classes, just stares blankly at whatever papers are put in front of him and makes vague mental notes about possible outcomes of the race. 

_Worst (but most possible) outcome: Sebastian loses._

_Best (but most unlikely) outcome: Sebastian wins._

The thoughts rattle around Ciel's head lazily, like moths to a campfire. He scratches at a spot behind his ear and chews at the end of his pencil.

When lunch rolls around, it takes Alois six attempts to get Ciel's distracted attention and nearly two more tries to get him up, out of his seat, into the lunchroom, where they gravitate towards Sebastian - towards Sebastian's table. He is busy picking at a few neatly aligned pieces of grilled chicken tucked between tiny triangles of rice.

Dark eyes flicker towards the junior and then back down to the food. 

"Are you all right?" 

Ciel sits and makes room for Alois. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

Ebony colored chopsticks lift up to pale lips and Sebastian chews the chicken tentatively. "Just wondering. My way of looking out for you, I suppose."

"Gross," Alois snickers, earning a stiff glare from Ciel that silences him. 

The three at the end of the table stare, some more earnestly than others, waiting for any sign of change in the numerous tensions that swirled across the board. 

"You'll lose this one," Ciel says bluntly after a few seconds, arms crossed over the table. "I'm sorry if that sounds rude, but it's the truth. Will is one of the racing gods, so there's no possible way that you could win. Undertaker is the only person to have ever beaten him in a race, and that was, what? 10 years ago or so?" He lets his foot tap against the curve of Sebastian's calf and tucks a hand underneath his chin. "Do you still want to race?"

Sebastian finishes chewing and offers a small smirk. "Of course I do. I'd never walk away from a challenge. Which car can I use?" 

"Impatient, are we? Of course, you'll use the Jaguar. I didn't give it to you just for you to neglect it."

"I wouldn't dream of neglecting it," he says, lifting the chopsticks to his mouth once again, but not quick enough for Ciel to miss the way that his mouth screws into a smile, all bright white teeth and a shy glance away. 

-

Nina backs away into the wall when Ciel rounds on her, shoulders straight. Her hands are up to make a protective shield across her face, scared even though she's laughing like a hyena. He's livid, nearly seeing red. 

"What were you thinking? Putting him up against Will? He's a racing genius, Nina!" Ciel's voice drops to a whisper as he looks at Sebastian, who is busy inspecting the Jaguar, talking to Bard and Finny. "He'll lose, I hope you know. And, when he does, it's on your head. I'm not doing all of this so that he can lose. I promised Sebastian that I would make him the best racer in all of Japan, and it's very difficult to do that when he's losing!"

The brunette slips around Ciel, hands still up as she moves towards Sebastian. 

"Look, Ciel! I'm sure he can do it - come on, kid, don't you think you can do it?" Red eyes leave the smooth surface of the car to travel to Ciel and Nina. Sebastian tilts his head and angles his body in a nonchalant way, calm and patient.

His shoulders shrug and he straightens up. "I just want to race - I mean, of course I'm going to try to win, but even if I don't, it's okay."

"Being totally honest with yourself," Ciel begins, echoing his words from the night before, "is that what you really think?"

Bard and Finny both look up from whatever they're doing and watch as Sebastian's posture goes tense, and then slack again. He holds out his hands and then slips them into his pocket. "You're right, Ciel. I do want to win."

The junior gives him a gentle slap on the hip and stands with his hands in his pockets. "I knew you would. You'll do fine, I'm sure." He motions to the car. "Get it warmed up, we're shipping out."

-

Hachiko Crossing is bustling and busy - even more so than Kabukicho, where the people had been reserved into glittering caverns of illustrious love. Here, the people run freely to stores and streets and friends. Sebastian's hands sweat as he speeds past a stoplight and neatly into a parking lot, quietly abandoned. Ciel yawns loudly and stretches his arms out above his head, fingertips scratching the roof of the car. 

"Don't talk to Will," he instructs when they get out of the Jaguar, "don't even acknowledge him. Will is a devil in disguise - he doesn't race, he destroys. The chances on you winning are slim, but the bets are still high on either side. Do not disappoint me." 

Sebastian nods and waits patiently as other cars and pedestrians have begun to gather - word has gotten out. Alois shows up after a few blurring moments, hand in hand with Claude. Ciel shudders beside Sebastian, making a disgusted face. 

A low rumble that cuts through the cold crowd draws everyone's attention: an emerald green Lamborghini with darkly tinted windows.

Ciel's lips quirk into a low, slightly impressed whistle. "An Aventador. LP, probably 700-4, I'd say. Looks like he's been doing well for himself, that bastard." He tilts his head, jaw tense. "Get in the car."

"But I-"

"Get in the car!"

The set of Ciel's shoulders is a warning sign, one that says he's not in the mood, not willing to be messed with. Before Sebastian can move, the car gets closer, and Ciel's teeth come together with a noise. "You're kidding me - it's an Anniversario." He scoffs and pushes at his bangs with hasty, angry fingers.

"What's the difference?"

"The difference is the horsepower. This one has 20 more HP than than the 700-4." Ciel's fingers pinch at his nose when the car angles itself beside the Jaguar. "Get in the car, Sebastian." 

He complies, slipping away just as Will rolls his window down. He looks the same as he did before: same slicked back hair, same glasses, same suit. He still looks like a reject from the _yakuza_. 

Ciel grimaces. "Spears," he sneers, arms coyly by his sides. The man's eyes, nearly the same color as his car, flick up and down over Ciel.

"You've grown up, haven't you?"

"That usually happens in the space of six years."

Will smirks, and leans back in the car's driver's seat. "How old are you now? 16?"

"17. Look, I'm not here to have friendly banter with you - I'm here to watch Sebastian race and beat you." 

"You think he'll beat me?" He scoffs lowly, mouth twitching. "We'll see. The best man always wins, doesn't he?" The window rolls up and Ciel is left there, standing between two cars, between two equally good drivers. He knocks on the window to the Jaguar and bends into it when it is pulled down to reveal a jittery Sebastian.

He grimaces, knuckles white around the steering wheel. "What's wrong?"

"Change in plans. Don't just do your best. I want you to win, and win by a long shot. Make him cry. Crush him."

Sebastian scoffs over the loud music playing on his radio and gives something of a smirk. "I'll do whatever you say."


	13. Kettei

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disappointment is always followed by a silver lining.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> makes really loud obnoxious car sounds
> 
> i'm excited. i love this fic so much. i'm glad people actually like it
> 
> also sorry that this is fairly short, i kind of just wanted to get something out
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

Sebastian tries to steel his nerves by allowing his fingers to securely hook over the steering wheel, tethering him to the car. He and the Jaguar are one, are the same being. The same pale haired girl from the previous races stands between the cars, arms above her head. Sebastian can't hear what she's saying over the blaring rap music that spills into the front seat and shakes the chassis of the car, but he can definitely see the way that her mouth goes monophthongal around the word 'go'. He presses all of his weight into the gas and is already neck and neck with Will, who is invisible behind the Aventador. **  
**

Ciel's words echo around in Sebastian's head: " _Crush him... make him cry.._." 

Pedestrians separate like the Red Sea as the two cars swerve out into the street, all crying out in startled Japanese. The Lamborghini passes Sebastian's car easily, streaking out ahead with a loud roar. Sebastian thinks about the NOS buttons affixed into the steering wheel, thumbs itching against the red plastic knobs. It's too risky to press them this early into the race, even if Will has him over by a few seconds. 

A sharply angled curve catches Sebastian's attention and he swings the wheel in order to avoid ramming directly into a row of neatly placed shops filled with people. He wants to win - not hurt anyone. He'd love to scare Will into quitting racing again, but Sebastian knows that that's impossible. He'll be lucky if he can even cross the finish line in a time seconds away from Will's.

The Lambo glints green in the flickering street lights of the shops, resembling a dragon or something; it's intimidating. The way he controls the car is intimidating, deadly. He had heard Ciel's conversation with Nina in the garage before they left, had heard him say that Will didn't race, he _destroyed_. 

Sebastian understands the saying. He can see it. Will dominates the street, pushing other drivers away by force, allowing Sebastian to only swerve behind him, trying to get the upper hand. It's largely futile, staying so close to Will. At this proximity, there's no way around the Lambo. If Sebastian wants to pass Will, he'll have to make a new path.

A gap in the buildings past the curve that Will whips past is almost too promising, but Sebastian isn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. He flattens the gas down to the floor and shoots straight forward, down a wide alleyway that opens up to a separate street into oncoming traffic. He takes a deep breath and swerves past a particularly ugly cream colored Sedan with an oddly attached spoiler. The music on the radio seems even louder as Sebastian darts past confused looking drivers, teeth clenched so hard it makes his jaw hurt. He's really pushing it this time, but danger be damned, he wants to _win_. He wants to see everyone's face when he slips past Will, wants to see Ciel's face when he beats this god. 

He jerks the car back onto the street that Will is on, almost exhilarated to see the Lambo in the rear-view mirror, minuscule and fleeting. A crowd of people have gathered at the point where Hachiko smooths out into 109 territory, even brighter than before. Sebastian continues to press down the gas pedal, _nearly_ there, when the dragon of a car snakes past him, all NOS and no break. Sebastian's foot slips off the gas, eventually slowing him to a stop behind Will's car. 

The man is standing beside the Lambo, a small smirk on his face as he adjusts his thinly framed glasses. Ciel hasn't moved away from the huddle he's formed with Alois, Mey-rin, Bard, and Finny. His face is contorted, mouth drawn up, brows sharp, forehead wrinkled. The knot of his eye patch is low on his head, tangled into his hair, like it's impatiently tied. 

"You did well," Will says, pulling the door back open, "but you've forgotten who a driver's best friend is. It's NOS. You're still just a kid, so I don't really blame you." Emerald eyes cut to Ciel. "You may have put your money into the wrong mouth, Phantomhive." His smile is thin and sensuous. "I hope you learn its true place. See you soon." He ducks into the car and drives away, leaving everyone silently standing around the Jaguar. 

Sebastian feels sick as people leave without any words of condolences towards him, nothing he can take as a token. The three from the garage migrate towards him just as silently. Mey-rin leans her head against Sebastian's shoulder, fingers curled around his bicep. Her hair is down and tickles his face as it blows in the wind. "I'm sorry, Sebastian. I think you did very well for your first time against Will. He isn't an easy competitor; most people don't get as far as you did. Some crash within the first few seconds against him." 

Bard's hand comes down heavily on Sebastian's free shoulder. "I agree with Mey. You did your best, and that's all that we can ask of you."

Tears track down Finny's face as he wraps both of his arms across Sebastian's middle. "We're so proud of you... You've come a really long way since this all started." 

"Thank you. Truly... I'm sorry for losing." The four part and disperse, leaving Ciel and Sebastian standing in the middle of the vacant road, alone and cold. The smaller boy looks as though he may cry, chin wobbling vaguely. Sebastian takes a step forward and bends at the waist, arms straight by his sides. "I'm sorry for losing," he repeats, eyes focused on his shoes, every muscle in his body strained to the point of pure pain. He does not straighten up out of the bow until Ciel's fingers knot into his hair, caressing his head gently.

"It's fine. You tried your hardest, didn't you?"

Sebastian lifts his head, eyes wide. "But, you said-"

"I know what I said... But forget about that. You did very, very well. I'm so proud." He gives a thin lipped smile. "Now, you have even more of a reason to add Will's name to your list of people to destroy. I'd say it's getting quite high in numbers, wouldn't you?" Ciel steps back, hands slipping into his pockets. "I suppose we should get you home, huh? Your father is probably angry."

"It's not that high," Sebastian corrects, "just high enough to warrant me an arrest. But then again, Chamber, Lau, and Will all deserve whatever comes their way, correct?"

Ciel's lips quirk into a half smile as he opens the door to the Jaguar. "I hope you realize that this means you will have new competition. Will is one of the best drivers out there, better than anyone. Lau is one of the best in Shibuya, but Will? All of Japan. He's a monster when it comes to racing, which you have already witnessed firsthand. He led you into a false sense of security with that little lag at the end, and that's how he won. Will is ruthless, cold. He's sort of like a robot - my father hated him more than anyone else. He makes racing into an art form, and then destroys it in front of all that love it." He frowns for a second before ducking into the car. 

Sebastian quietly drives Ciel home and then rides the subway back home, where his father is waiting. When Sebastian opens the door, the man holds up a tattered, dogeared slip of paper. 

His heart sinks: it's the poster from his race with Chamber.

"Where did you get that?"

"Found it - in your room. Hidden underneath some books." His father clicks the television off and stands up, pinching at the bridge of his nose. "Why do you keep doing this, Sebastian? I trusted you. I thought you were getting better - your grades are good, you've made friends, and then I find out that you're doing _this_! All under my nose!" He waves the paper back and forth in front of Sebastian's face. "How long has it been going on?"

Sebastian wants to hide; his hands are shaking. "A few months," he resolves quietly, not looking at his father, who sighs loudly, cursing under his breath.

"You're kidding - a few months? Ridiculous. How many times have you raced?"

"At least four times."

His father makes a scoffing and turns away - for a split second, Sebastian is afraid that the man will hit him across the face, but he doesn't. Instead, he takes Sebastian's hands in his own, mouth turned down.

"You have to stop - I'm begging you. I don't want to see you throw your life away. I don't want you to end up in jail or something. You can't keep stealing cars and racing. It'll tear you apart faster than anything else will, Sebastian, I promise you."

Sebastian bristles at the touch, baring his teeth. "Dad, I'm not stealing the cars! I swear to you, I'm not. I'm not stealing anymore. I'm just racing, I swear." He stares at his father, eyes wide. "I'm good, Dad. I'm really good. I've only lost one race, and that was tonight. I swear I'm not lying."

For a moment, all is quiet. Sebastian's father turns away, hands both moving upwards to tangle into his hair. "Shut it down. I don't care how good you are, Sebastian. I never want to hear about you racing again. If you don't shut it down, I'm going to send you back to America." 

All of Sebastian's blood runs cold as he makes a hurried move to grab at his father's arm. "Please, don't say that. I can't stop - I can't stop now. I'm just getting good... I'm getting to the top..." His brows knit together when his father faces him. _Is that really my voice? Is that me?_ It sounds whiny in his ears, but he doesn't stop pleading, fingers tight against the older man's sleeve. "Dad, please... This is the only thing that I have." 

His father pauses, garnet eyes flicking over Sebastian's face. 

"You're serious about this, aren't you? I've never seen you act like this."

"More serious than I've ever been about anything else in my life. People are rooting for me, Dad. They're betting money on me, and I'm winning it. Ciel believes in me, and so does everyone at the garage. I've got to meet people, and they all feel the same way about cars as I do. It's like a whole other life, and it's something that I want to be part of. I've more than earned my place, and I intend to keep it, regardless of what you say." 

There are small splotches of color high on his cheeks, painted out of exertion and passion. 

Sebastian's father makes a small sniffing noise and looks around the room before puffing his cheeks out. "Fine. You can keep racing. But if I hear anything about you stealing or getting into trouble, or if your grades drop, you're done, understand me?"

"Yes sir."

"Good boy. Go to bed, it's late."

-

School the next day is bleak and unpromising - many people are sick and groggily roaming around the halls in fevered hazes. Sebastian side-steps a cluster of mask-wearing girls, not in the mood to catch whatever sort of colds they have. He hurries into the entrance to see Ciel lazily standing in front of Alois with his forehead pressed into the blond's shoulder. He pushes his shoes into the tiny locker and slips on his school shoes before walking over to them, suddenly curious in the way that Ciel has his fingers curled into Alois' shirtfront.

"He's tired," the flirtatious blond explains, motioning to the small brunet curled into his chest. "Spent all night researching Will's whereabouts for the past few years. Apparently he's been hiding out in - where was it, love?"

Ciel turns his head slightly so that he can murmur, "Venice," before pulling away from Alois' chest entirely. "And don't call me love, that's weird." He yawns and stretches his arms up over his head, shirt rising ever so slightly to show a thin strip of skin across his hips. Sebastian has to look away, vaguely reminded of the corset incident. "Will was in Venice, driving with monks or something." He yawns again. "Are there monks in Venice?"

Alois and Sebastian scoff in sync. "Venetian monks? I don't think that's a thing," the senior says, head tilted. He clears his throat and glances at the ground and then back at Ciel. "Last night, when I got home... my dad found out about me racing." 

Three blue eyes stare at Sebastian, two quizzically and one nervously.

"What - well, what did he say?" Ciel's voices edges out slowly as he turns his head to glance at the slew of students bustling in.

"At first, he told me to stop everything, but only because he thought that I was stealing the cars. Once I told him that I wasn't stealing and that I wasn't going to quit racing no matter what he said, he eased up."

Ciel's shoulders visibly relax, which allows Sebastian to relax. He hadn't even realized that his body had gone tense.

"Good. I hope he isn't angry with me." 

The bell rings before Sebastian can safely affirm that he isn't. Ciel moves his fingers in a lazy wave before Alois drags him away down the hall, leaving Sebastian to listlessly stand in the sea of passing students, all running and chattering excitedly. 

Ciel gets chastised by the teacher for falling asleep in class, earning him a sharp tug on the ear from a jeering Alois.

Sebastian thinks about cars instead of focusing on whatever his teacher is writing on the board and nearly yelps when Bard jabs him in the side to get his attention.

They meet up after school to go back to Sebastian's apartment, where his father already is. He offers something of a smile to Ciel, who immediately bows, offering his apologizes for any hardship he's created. The older man quietly reassures that there's no trouble, only that he wants Sebastian to do well and be happy, and if racing can do both for him, than so be it. Ciel sits on the couch and Sebastian beside him, each occupied with their own cup of warm tea.

"I wanted to thank you for being so kind of my son," Sebastian's father says, dipping his head.

Ciel sips at the tea and shakes his free hand. "No, the pleasure is all mine. Ever since my parents died, I lost all in interest in racing, but Sebastian sort of brought it back home to me. So, if anyone, I'd have to thank him. The cars have always meant a lot to me, and now they mean even more."

Sebastian glances at Ciel, who is nearly beaming. He thinks about kissing him for a second, but doesn't - not here. 

"Is he a good racer?"

"He's an exquisite racer," the junior confirms, shoulders shifting against the couch. "It's - how should I put it? The way he races is... elegant, I suppose. Many drivers have only one intention: drive faster than the person that they're racing. They don't think about the obstacles in their way or how to get the upper hand." Ciel looks at Sebastian, whose eyes snap forward, neck warm. "I've never seen anyone go into oncoming traffic in order to get ahead. He'd never do anything he didn't feel was absolutely necessary."

His father nods, clearly pleased. "I see. Has he ever wrecked?"

"No. He's come close, but Sebastian has never put a scratch on any of my cars. He has a real knack for driving, if you ask. I've never seen anything like it."

Red eyes meet red eyes. "Straight into oncoming traffic, huh, kid?"

Sebastian smiles sheepishly. "All for a good test run. I was really close to winning, too. If I'd remembered about the NOS, I could have won. I could have been the one to smile at Will the way that he smiled at me - like he was talking to a child."

"Will?"

Ciel nods, leaning forward to set his cup on the table. "William T. Spears. Nasty man, really. He's a demon when it comes to racing." He sighs and settles into the couch, thin arms behind his head. "I'm very proud of your son, Mr. Michaelis. I don't spend time with anyone I don't deem worthy, and Sebastian has racked up quite a few hours with me." 

There is a knowing look in his father's eyes that Sebastian doesn't like and tries to shoot down with a subtle shake of his head. This only makes the older man's lips curl into a small smirk, eyebrows lifted. "Whatever you say, son."

"Excuse me?" Ciel quirks his head in the man's direction, but Sebastian's father only shrugs his shoulders dismissively.

"Only speaking to my son. I'd like to thank you for being such a good _friend_ to Sebastian, Ciel." The way he stresses the way drips with ambiguity and makes Sebastian's teeth set in away that catches Ciel's attention. 

He shifts uncomfortably, mouth twisted into an awkward smile. "You're welcome." He looks at Sebastian and stands up. "I think I'm going to go home. I have a lot of homework to do, and I should probably take a nap or something."

Sebastian runs a hand through his hair and follows after Ciel as he makes it to the door. "Yeah, I totally understand. Drive carefully, okay? I'll see you in school." He shuts the door and pauses for a second before rounding on his father. "Dad!"

"You kids - I swear to God. Sebastian, you really need to ease up on the bedroom eyes, big guy. Stop looking at the poor kid like you're going to eat him, okay? Just relax," he laughs. Sebastian wonders when his father changed from a cold robot into the good natured man before him. "He's good, I think. Nice boy."

The senior collapses heavily onto the sagging couch, one arm thrown over his eyes. "You're awful. I do not give him bedroom eyes."

"You do."

"Do not!"

Sebastian sits up to see his father chuckling, cup raised to his lips. "You do, and I should know - I used to give them to your mom all the time."

"Gross. Don't compare Ciel to Mom, that's weird."

"You're right - he's very small, isn't he? How old is he?"

"17. He turned 17 while we were in France."

His father sets the cup back down and snaps his fingers. "That's right - you guys went to France while I was at home recovering from being hit by a car. You're a real good kid, Sebastian. Why is he so small, though? You could crush him, probably."

_That's right._

Sebastian could probably break Ciel with ease, if he were allowed, if _Ciel_ allowed him to.

He shifts on the couch, suddenly hot. "Dunno, he just is." The senior stands, scratching at the back of his neck. "I - I'm gonna go to my room. Homework, you know. See you later, I guess?" He moves to get around the chair and trips over a small pile of newspapers, sending them flying. Sebastian grimaces as his father laughs, and moves to pick them up, only to see one that catches his eye. On its front page is a smiling Will, front and center. He's wearing dark sunglasses and has one arm up to cover his face, but Sebastian can see that sinister little smile clear as day. 

"Hey, Dad?"

"Yes, Sebastian?"

He holds up the magazine for his father to see. "Can I have this?"


	14. Fureru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date night?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel pretty proud of myself for actually putting out that last chapter so soon ....... like i had to go back and edit a whole bunch of stuff that i didn't catch at first, but i am still proud of myself for getting it done so soon. although i did have a dream the other day that i updated it two days in a row and someone commented "stop updating so soon because it makes me uncomfortable" ..... if this is any of you i am sorry
> 
> uh there may be a surprise .. .. . in this chapter?????? so look forward to that [shamelessly inserts more cheesy lyrics - song is lurk by the neighbourhood]
> 
> also sorry this is kind of late, i've been sick lately and i just wanted this chapter to be good.
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

Ciel jolts when Sebastian slams the paper onto the desk in front of him, fingers trailing over Will's face. 

They're spending the first day of the weekend in the garage, per the request of the senior. The entire team, including Nina, Soma, and Agni, bustle about the cars, on phones and computers, trying to improve the results of future races. 

"Embezzlement," Sebastian declares, jabbing his index into the paper so hard that it crinkles.

The junior's forehead wrinkles neatly, creasing down the center. "And that means exactly _what_ to me?" 

Sebastian brings up another chair and sits heavily in it, knee pressed against Ciel's. "It means that there's a reason Will was in Venice - because he's a fraud! He's got a lengthy history of investment fraud and embezzlement claims. He's had the cops on his tail for years, but because he is who he is, Will's managed to stay out of jail." Ciel scratches at the hollow of his throat as Sebastian dumps a hefty load of papers onto the steel table with a low thud. He spreads them out across the length of it, tapping his index finger across a few of the clippings. "I looked through all kinds of websites and newspapers and magazines.." 

"Slow down - did you even sleep last night?"

"Got a few hours." Sebastian pushes a cut out scrap towards Ciel, pointing at it. "See? Look - _Millionaire Racer Hunted by IRS._ There's tons of articles like this. Maybe Will didn't go to Venice to keep driving; maybe, maybe he went to Venice to get out of trouble with the law. He's been scamming people out of money for years by rigging races and cheating!"

Ciel pushes his fingers through his hair, exasperated. "Okay, but what does this have to do with us?"

 _Us_ catches Sebastian off guard for a second and he has to regain his train of thought quickly, not allowing himself to be distracted by Ciel. "We can prove that he cheated me out of the race the other day."

Finny comes into view, eyes glued to the screen of his phone. He looks tired lately, exhausted even - but still somehow effortlessly peppy, effervescent almost. "Sebastian? Why don't you just race Will again? We're doing everything we can to make it faster, so you could just race him again and not have to stoop to such underhanded tactics. If you do this, it'll be just like you're cheating, too, right?" He casts a glance towards Bard, who is fitted under the car, and Mey-rin, who is crouched at his side. They're both laughing as he searches for a wrench or something of the like with the tips of his fingers. Sebastian suddenly feels guilty - they're all trying their hardest to improve him, and he's ready to just attack with words and threats, not action. 

"I'm sorry," he says, moving back to the table to scoop the scraps into the trashcan, "I wasn't thinking." 

Ciel's arm creates a bar against his waist, nearly low enough to make him twitch backward, suddenly hyper-aware of everything. "Don't throw them out. Race him again, and in the meantime, I will look into this." He stands up, collects the papers, and turns around, motioning to Nina, Soma, and Agni. They've made some sort of circle beside the car, whispering in a conspiratorial way. Ciel snaps his fingers, making them jump. "You three - look into this for me, would you? As my PR people, I can only assume you'd be the best rats to infiltrate a place, correct." 

Nina adjusts her glasses, brown eyes glinting dangerously behind the black frames. Soma and Agni stand behind her - Sebastian thinks they look like some Charlie's Angels rip-off group. 

"We won't let you down, Boss!" 

"I don't want to disappoint you, Ciel."

"I'll do whatever you say."

The three run off and Sebastian all but blanches at their display of devotion to and affection for Ciel. It's almost repulsing, but he also feels the same way. He wants to be praised by Ciel for his actions - he wants to win for Ciel. He understands how they feel: overwhelming adoration and admiration and maybe something tied closely with romantic affiliations. How the junior wormed his way so deep in a span of nearly four months, Sebastian doesn't know. He doesn't know how Ciel has gotten so close. Sebastian glances at Ciel, who's sitting on the table, thin legs crossed at the knee. 

Despite the blistering cold, he's taken a page out of Alois' book and is wearing shorts paired with thin black tights underneath. His sweater is fairly thick and the cream color compliments his dark hair and pale skin. Sebastian allows his eyes to drop below Ciel's waist for a split second, falling down, down, down, to his thighs when the junior clears his throat loudly, mouth quirked into a satisfied sneer. 

"Having fun?" He hooks two fingers in the air, making a 'come hither' motion at a trembling Sebastian, who slowly approaches and nearly yelps when Ciel grabs the front of shirt to pull the senior's ear down to his mouth. "You should really watch how you look at me," he purrs, lips brushing a spot underneath Sebastian's earlobe, slowly, dangerously. "It's unbecoming to stare at people like you want to destroy them." His fingers do not release Sebastian's shirtfront, but instead shift to get a better grip. "Would you like that? Do you want to rip me apart, break my bones?" Ciel's head tilts into Sebastian's neck as he looks at the others, who are still preoccupied with the car and each other, not even paying attention to the couple off to the side.

Sebastian's breath hitches in his throat when Ciel's lips quirk into a smile against his skin.

"Stop," he manages to get out, hands twitching at his sides, desperate to not touch Ciel because he wants to remain in control, wants to keep his head clear. 

Ciel's lips brush gently against the spot again before he lets go of the fabric and slides off of the table, back arched in a salacious way that is reminiscent of Alois in mannerism, a way that makes Sebastian step back nervously, hands nervous, heart tap-dancing in his chest. He grits his teeth against the lewd thoughts that course through his mind, flicking past in black and white: black hair, white skin, open mouths, curling fingers. Sebastian has to take a deep breath and a mouthful coffee before he successfully calms down, palms ceasing in their perspiration.

He rejoins the other members of the garage, glancing around nervously for Ciel. Mey-rin moves towards him slowly, her mahogany colored hair pulled into a loose bun.

"Sebastian? Are you okay? You seem antsy."

"Fine, I'm fine. Just on the lookout for something."

She tilts her head, round glasses glinting in the light. "What - what are you looking out for?"

Sebastian blinks in succession a few times before scratching at the back of his neck, vaguely looking around the room. "Oh, you know. A small... animal. Claws, teeth, the whole nine yards." Mey-rin's brows twitch as her mouth curls in a confused grimace.

"Like a raccoon or something?"

"Exactly: a small, dark, irritating raccoon." 

 She slowly backs away, clearly nervous. "When's the last time you slept, Sebastian?"

He glances at his hands. "Last night. Look - if I wanted to... wanted to take someone on a date, how would I ask them?" Mey-rin shifts, brows lifting considerably high on her forehead. Her cheeks color as she presses her hands to them, mouth making a perfect ring. 

"Oh my god! Sebastian, don't tell me you mean-" she leans in close, one hand making a cover for the side of her mouth to Sebastian's ear, "-Ciel." He jerks back like she's shocked him, neck suddenly hot. She gapes, hands slapping against her knees. "You're kidding! You're not kidding! Oh my god!" Mey-rin dances around the tips of her toes like a ballerina and turns towards the other two garage squad members. "Bard!" she calls, cringing when he hits his head on the open mouth of the hood, "you owe me 20 bucks!" 

The blond American turns, mouth slack. "You kidding, Mey? Christ, Sebastian! Couldn't you've just... not told her anything?" Bard reaches into his back pocket for his wallet, cursing under his breath in English. "I'll get you back on something, Mey, mark my words." He walks over to her, money held between his index and middle finger. When she reaches for it, he pulls away, holding it up over her head. "So, Sebastian. How long have you liked Ciel?"

"Bard, that's not funny! Give them to me!" Mey-rin whines, reaching for the bills. 

Sebastian tries to look as calm as he can. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Tough luck, guy." The blond wags the yen bills in Sebastian's face and then resumes holding them above Mey-rin's head, who is practically dancing to reach them. "Noguchi-san says differently. We've made it a running joke since you got here that Boss'd fall for you first, but Mey always thought it would be the other way around." When his right arm gets tired, he drops the money to his left, making Mey-rin groan in anger, still reaching. "Look, we ain't gonna judge you for anything you do. We're all pretty bad off in the dating category ourselves as it is. Mey-rin can't find anyone that'll talk to her for more than two seconds, girls don't like me cause I can't cook, and Finny? Finny just doesn't date." They all look at the other blond who is sunk low into his office chair, a phone pressed to his ear. "We're not sure if he's asexual or just really into technology, but we love him either way."

Bard drops his other arm and allows Mey-rin to grab the money, but not before she gently hits him in the ribs.

"Once you join this garage, whether it be as a mechanic or a racer or a talent scout or PR person or whatever, you become part of the Funtom family. That includes you, Sebastian. And, as family, we want you to be happy. If that means you taking our precious, tiny boss out on dates or what have you, than so be it. But trust me, if you hurt him, your life will become very, _very_ difficult."

The smile on his face is one of sincerity, as though he will sincerely beat up Sebastian.

"Duly noted. Don't worry - I don't think that you'll have to worry about me taking Ciel on any dates, or what have you. I'm not so sure he's into things like that."

"Says who?" questions a voice that makes Sebastian's shoulders tense and the others turn. Ciel stands with his hands on his hips, a sneer on his face. "I'm definitely into dates. I've never once said that I wasn't." His good eye darts around almost comically. "Who wants to take me on a date?"

The trio all begin to chuckle, some more discreetly than others, as Sebastian tries to slink off into the shadows, only to have Ciel make a low, throaty noise that shoots straight into the area below his stomach. "Is it you, Sebastian?"

"Is it me what?" he asks nonchalantly, turning to face the smirking junior. 

"You who wants to take me out on a date."

Sebastian turns fully around, shoulders twitching into a shrug. "If you'll have me."

-

The ride out to Nonbei Yokocho is quiet and slow. Sebastian fiddles with the radio compulsively until Ciel pulls his fingers away from the dial, giving them a gentle squeeze before allowing the digits back to the steering wheel. Music plays from whatever obscure channel Sebastian has picked, quiet and daunting in relation to the rather tense situation they're in.

_I think to be thoughtful / I know that I'm not / You think I'm a fake and I know you're a fraud_

Ciel glances at Sebastian, faintly reminded of the time they had driven to Hebizaka and he had looked out the window, too afraid to look at Sebastian, for fear of realizing his own feelings.

_I fuck cause I need to / I fuck when I want / I'll fuck you in love / Even though it is not_

Both people in the car shift their eyes briefly to the radio, mouths lax at the voice that croons through the speakers. Sebastian is the first to reach for it, but when his hand collides with Ciel's, they both drop against the center console, fingers touching. This relationship - if it can even be called that - will go slow, they're acutely aware of that. They're clumsily dealing with their feelings, one at a time, muddled around in adolescent heads that are already too much filled up with other things.

_I'll fucking digest you / one kiss at a time / you wish I was yours / I hope that you're mine_

"What if - what if we don't go to Nonbei?" Sebastian suggests, allowing himself to glace at Ciel. He thinks about their nearly interlaced fingers. "What if we go somewhere it can just be us? A place we can see the stars or something."

Ciel's hand is small in Sebastian's, finely boned and delicate. That's how Ciel is in general. Sometimes, if Sebastian looks at him in the right way or light or angle, he can see the curve of his spine or the dip of his collarbones. He often thinks about how the rest of Ciel looks, wonders if the rest of his bones are as little and pale, wonders how hard he would have to squeeze to put bruises on Ciel's skin, or how much pressure his wrists could take before they snapped.

"There's always Hinohara, but there's also Okutama. You can get to Okutama if you follow the Ome line, but it takes about two hours. Hinohara is at least a twenty minute drive, so we can go there."

The senior nods and waits for directions, turning the wheel according to what Ciel says. He'll do whatever Ciel says, regardless of consequences and repercussions. He'll follow Ciel to the ends of the earth and further, if he has to. Sebastian wants to believe and trust in Ciel. He knows that whatever Ciel says, he means it from the bottom of his heart, and that's enough for Sebastian.

_Black and it's white / Everything's white / But it's blacker than I know / And blacker than the white of the snow / And I'm thinking I / Oh no_

They hold hands the whole way there.

-

Ciel's apartment is deadly quiet when they get there, when they stumble through the doors at nearly one in the morning, laughing loudly. The two had stopped by a tiny restaurant to get something to eat before returning, delirious on cold air and a lack of sleep. Ciel's mouth is tacky with the cake they had shared, and his fingers feel sticky. He tries to regain his composure as they meander through the apartment and into his bedroom, shedding articles of clothes with no concern for the other's presence. Ciel is already dressed by the time that Sebastian is out of his sweater. When the senior leans over to take his pants off, the bumps of his spine become visible through his skin.

Sebastian is not very muscular, but he isn't scrawny either. His shoulders are broad, but his hips, arms, and legs are all thin. There aren't really curves to him, all hard, straight lines. He's not soft like Ciel.

"You can sleep on the bed if you want," the junior says, pulling off his eye patch in exchange for the white one. "I don't feel like getting out the futon, it's too late."

Sebastian finishes dressing and straightens up. "That's fine. If it won't bother you."

"I offered, so I don't think it's much of a bother." He gets up and heads to the bathroom to brush his teeth, motioning for the taller male to follow. When they're done, Ciel turns the lights off and crawls into bed, watching at Sebastian does the same. All of his movements are fluid and even. The bed sinks beneath his weight, quietly protesting at the change from Ciel's small frame to Sebastian's larger one. They lay in silence side by side, only their shoulders touching. 

Ciel shifts onto his side, drawing Sebastian's eyes for a brief moment. 

"When did you decide that you liked me?"

"I could ask you the same question," Sebastian retorts, fingers scratching at a spot on his chest. "And if you must know, it probably started when we went to France. I mean, I thought you were attractive before that time as well, but France was really the tipping point for me. Or when we went to Chamber's party."

The junior scoffs, a smile on his face. "Really? I called you a giant freak - I don't thank warrants anyone a romance." He leans into Sebastian, who shifts, allowing him a better angle against his chest. "France, huh? I think it's the same for me. When we went to the _Promenade des Anglais_. The way you talked about wanting to meet my mother - that was important to me."

Sebastian tenses when Ciel nuzzles his head into the underside of his chin, hair tickling his face. "So what are we?" he asks gently, looping an arm around Ciel's waist, almost protectively. 

"Don't know. Whatever you want to be is fine with me. If you want to date, then we're dating. Don't want to date, then we won't. Whatever you want."

"I'd like to date you, I really would."

Ciel lifts his head up to catch a fleeting glimpse of a smile across Sebastian's face. "Then we're dating," he echoes, leaning for a quick kiss that faintly tastes of mint toothpaste. 


	15. Tsuki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A meeting of the world's five most awful people ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chap isn't so sebciel based - like, sebastian and ciel are mentioned in it, but just not physically there.
> 
> hope you're all well ^^ 
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

"I don't really want to be here," Chamber says quietly, peeking around Lau's shoulder as they're led through Will's house by a neatly dressed butler all in black. He lives out in Sendegaya, in a large house built near a patchwork placement of shrines, hidden by trees and other natural shrubbery. 

Lau pulls away from Chamber's grip when they round a corner, slightly irritated. "You think I want to be here too? With someone that sleeps around and someone else that could crush me in my own car?" They follow the butler into a large room littered with windows, allowing light to stream in from every corner of the room. Will stands in front of a particularly large pane of glass with his hands behind his back, dressed in a neatly pressed suit. He turns to face the two, a crease between his brows.

"You came."

Chamber is half hidden behind a chair, peeking over it with his fingers curled against the back. "Of course we came! You told us to come over - for some reason still unbeknownst to us, but here we are." 

Will sits on a sleek leather couch and motions for them to do the same, but when no one moves, he begins to speak. 

"If I'm not mistaken, you both have recently lost races to Ciel Phantomhive's new little... lapdog, shall we say? Sebastian Michaelis is a driver of passion, he is built from the ground up, from scratch. He's never been trained, never had an extreme amount of cars to call his own. No, Sebastian Michaelis is a once-was thief turned profit maker by Ciel alone." His lips quirk as he makes a vague hand gesture towards the other men in the room. "Gentlemen, I have devised a proposition of sorts. One to take down Sebastian and end Funtom for all." Will presses the tips of his fingers together in a thoughtful way and does not allow the others a chance to speak. "Ciel Phantomhive is like silk hiding steel. He's an enigma: dark and beautiful, the tragic child of two tragically beautiful parents. He's intangible. Sebastian is like the steel to his silk: hard and brutish, but with a little" he pauses to inspect a vase of roses to his left and snap one of the heads off, "soft spot for his owner." 

The petals turn to paste in his vice-like grip.

Chamber wrings his hands together, still half hidden by the couch. "I - uh, I don't necessarily want to see Sebastian ever again... He broke my finger the last time I saw him and threatened to destroy my life and reputation."

Lau makes a sound of agreement. "He raced me in a Saab and won."

"Which is all the more reason to enact your revenge!" Will stands with so much force the table in front of him nearly topples over, off its clawed feet. "He's a damn good racer, which is why we need to nip it in the bud now." He motions to Chamber. "Would you like to be known as the 'sleazy pretty boy who went into hiding because he got scared of a little cross dresser' for the rest of your life?" Will turns jade eyes to Lau, who looks nervous. "And you, do you want to be know as someone who was beat by a Saab, of all things? For Christ's sake!"

"I don't," Lau interjects, finally sitting, which his arms stretched across the back of the couch, "but I don't really want to destroy anyone. Look, I've got my whole business going on right now. Racing is more of a past time for me. It's just a blip in my life."

Will tilts his head in an unwelcoming way.

"You've got a business? Oh what, you mean your skeevy little drug distribution ring? The one organized by underground thugs and kingpins that could kill you if you miss a shipment? Yes, I'm quite sure you're going to go _very_ far in that industry. Once everyone kicks their childish little opium addiction, you'll be out of work. And then what will you have left? Racing. But someone's standing in your way - and who is it? Sebastian Michaelis."

Chamber shifts behind the hard-backed leather chair, wringing his hands compulsively. "It's not a smart idea, Will. They're not nice people. Ciel may seem fragile and delicate, but he's got ties to people. He _knows_ people."

"Knows them in what way?" Will's thin mouth slips into a roguish sneer. "Knows them in the lewd, ribald ways that you do? Does he know them in the lecherous ways that you know, the way that you use people? That's right, Aleister, everybody knows what you do in your free time. Everybody knows that you, the model business mogul, sleep around with underage girls, and then pay them to keep it hushed up." He looks at Chamber in a way that makes the pale-haired male shrink back, shoulders itching forward. "You're pathetic." The narrowed green orbs shift to Lau. "You both are."

He holds his arms out to the sides of his body, palms turned up. "But this is me, begging you to change. If you join my side, we can put an end to Funtom and to Sebastian. Wouldn't it be sweet to see him cry? Wouldn't it be fun to see him unable to race ever again? If you trust me, things will go your way. You'll be rolling in money, in bets. People will praise you when you walk by."

"So it's true then?"

Lau crosses his legs at the knee, head tilted towards Will. The other man's eyes glint behind his thinly framed glasses.

"Is what true?"

"The fact that you're a thief and a liar. We know that you've been caught up in embezzlement fraud for years," Chamber says, stepping out from behind the chair, suddenly dropping his meek act. "You rig races and you cheat people out of money they probably deserve. I heard that you're a monster when it comes to driving, that you're merciless and evil. I didn't believe it, so I took it upon myself to research you and some of the races you've been in." 

Will's face switches from a look of faint amusement to one of vile hatred. He moves silently, slowly, insidiously, towards Chamber and grabs him by the neck of his shirt before the other male has the chance to register the action.

"If I were you, I would stop talking. You clearly don't know what's happening in this little corner of the world, but it may be a smart choice to educate yourself. I can destroy you, and I don't need to cheat you out of anything to do it." Will's fingers tighten against Chamber's shirtfront, aggressively pulling on him. "You may talk big and flaunt your deep pockets in a means of scaring people, but when I say that I'll destroy you, I mean it. I will crush you, and the only world you will ever know will collapse around you. Do you want that?" He turns his eyes towards Lau. "Do _you_ want that? Because I can make that reality possible for you as well." He lets go of Chamber's collar, allowing the frightened male to fall to the marble floor and scamper to his feet. 

Lau stands up, hitching his thumb towards the door.

"I'm going home. I don't have time for this."

"You're not," Will says calmly, smoothing out his suit jacket. "You're going to stay here and we're going to talk this out. Sit down."

The Chinese man opens his normally narrowed eyes a crack, brows arched. "You're a real bastard, you know that? I had my doubts when William T. Spears, king of the road, invited me over to his home in Sendegaya, of all places, to have a talk. I knew you were planning something suspicious, and trust me, I know all about suspicion. When you're a drug dealer and producer, everyone is suspicious of you and you're suspicious of everyone. I'm not following through with your plan, and I'm going home."

Will turns his eyes, which have slid into serpentine slits, towards Lau. 

"I'm a bastard, am I? Do you have a passport?"

Lau grimaces. "Why?"

"Because when I'm through with you, you won't be able to stay in Japan. You may leave if you'd like, but it would be in your best interest to stay put." He slips on a fake friendly smile for Chamber, who has returned to cowering behind the chair. "You as well, Aleister. Now, I've brought in some other people who have also met with Ciel and Sebastian. I hope you'll treat them kindly, they're acquaintances." 

The butler, who had been lingering off to the side of the room for the duration of the talk, moves to open a door, allowing two people to enter: a young, rough looking male, and a willowy figured redhead.

"Hear that? Will called us his 'acquaintances'! That's French for 'we're friends,' right Grell?" The youngest of the two drops the bat to the ground and stands beside Will, arms behind his head. 

The redhead snorts, pushing a long strand of hair behind a pierced ear. "That's not what it means at all, Ronald." His accent is thickly French, and his voice is loud and robust. 

Chamber shrieks and points at Ronald with a trembling index finger. "It's you!"

"Yo." Ronald flashes a peace sign as all the color drains from Chamber's face. 

"You almost got me killed in a bathhouse!"

Ronald shrugs, puffing out his cheeks. "Not my fault, you asked me to smash Phantomhive's cars." He stretches his arms up over his head. "I was just following orders." He sits on the couch, stretching his legs out to set his feet on the table. 

"Wait, you two know each other?" Both males look at Will, who is standing with his hands in his pockets, a vague smile on his face. "This may work better than I expected. I've invited these two here as a kind of... group bonding exercise."

Chamber raises his hand like a child in school. "Question - it's a group thing?"

"Yes. I'm the head of the group, obviously. Ronald and Aleister will make up one pair, and Grell and Lau will make up the other." 

"Pairs? For what?" Lau shakes his head. "You're not making any sense. I don't understand what's happening."

Ronald stretches out against the entire length of the couch, kicking his shoes off onto the floor, and yawns loudly. Will's eyebrow twitches as he glances away from the two-tone haired male and to Lau, who has his arms crossed over his chest. 

"Maybe if you'd stop talking, I could get to the point of the pairs. Ronald, who do you want: Ciel or Sebastian?"

"Definitely Ciel. I want to watch that little guy squirm. Can I rough him up a little?" The male tilts his head backwards over the arm of the couch to look at Chamber, who has turned a pale shade of sickly green. "You okay with that big guy? I don't really care if you are or not, but I'm just trying to be nice." His mouth twitches into a small, greedy smile when he directs his green eyes back to Will. "Are we getting paid for this? I don't really do these types of things for free."

Will pinches at the bridge of his nose, pushing his glasses up a little. "Yes, of course I'll pay you. Grell, you can handle Sebastian, correct?"

" _Mais_ , _oui_! I didn't come all the way from France just to play around, did I? Although, I do feel  _un peu mal_ about trying to ruin the life of my business partner's nephew's friend. But, I'll get over it. He was kind of a brat anyway. Very attractive though."

"Don't be disgusting," Will says with a scowl. "I, in the meantime, will work on taking down Funtom. It's not too hard to make a few false claims about their cars. Maybe I'll even hack into their accounts and wire their money to myself." He straightens up, motioning to Ronald and Chamber. "No matter what, make sure you keep Ciel away from his apartment on Saturday next week. I'll give you more information then. You'll need to get inside of his apartment and gather any type of information you can. It doesn't matter how minuscule it may seem, if it can be used to our advantage, take it." Will then motions to Grell and Lau. "As for you two, it's your job to keep Sebastian away from Ciel. Find out anything you can on him and report it all back to me."

Chamber rubs at the back of his neck. "I feel like we're _yakuza_ now."

"No way, _yazuka_ is way more difficult to get into," Ronald says with a laugh, resting his arms behind his head. "There's this whole blood initiation thing. You have to kill somebody - it was pretty brutal. Some of the smaller gangs are easier to get into though. I prefer those over _yakuza_. The _yankii_ in the other gangs are all high school dropouts with low IQ's. They're pretty easy to whip into shape, needless to say."

"You're really a dirty little thug, aren't you?" Will's actually _grinning_ , his mouth contorted into a vile little smile.

"The dirtiest," Ronald answers, with a particularly titillating roll of his tongue that has Chamber walking to the corner of the room before the action is completed.

Will stands in front of the window that he had been before anyone else had entered the room, hands behind his back. 

"Gentlemen, I do believe that this will work largely in our favor." He pivots, glasses glinting in the dimming midday sunlight. "Who's ready to have a little fun?"


	16. Shita

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breaking in and going out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so.... that last update was pretty good, no? i thought it was a good change of pace - who wouldn't want to see the five shittiest people in a room together? i wouldn't. i definitely would not want to see them anywhere near each other.
> 
> also, you guys don't even know how much it means to me when you say that this is one of your favorite fanfics [OR MAKE ME A REAL LIFE OST (cough cough PumpkinFabliaux)] it really brightens my day and makes me want to keep writing. this fic started out as a half assed attempt of keeping myself busy, and look where it's gotten. thank you. i love you all.
> 
> enjoy 
> 
> much love xoxo

Sebastian wakes up the next morning with Ciel crushed to his chest, head just underneath the apex of his chin and neck. The blankets have considerably ridden down to reveal milky white legs, making the senior squirm uncomfortably. He doesn't want to wake Ciel up, but Sebastian also doesn't want to have to explain the awkward stiffness between his thighs - which is definitely _not_ caused by how warm and soft Ciel's body feels against his own, not even remotely related.

The seventeen year old makes a gentle mewling sound that sends a tingle down Sebastian's spine. Ciel shifts in the bed, twisting off to the side that's cooler, with his legs still tanged against Sebastian's own.

They've spent nearly every day together since agreeing to date, and today is no different. It's a lazy Saturday, one meant to be filled with contempt kisses and cuddling on the couch. 

Sebastian rolls over onto his side to face Ciel, watching him sleep. The younger male's face is lax with peace and rest, strands of dark hair falling into his eyes. Lately, he's taken to abandoning the white patch at night, allowing Sebastian to fully see both of his eyes. The bad one is a cloudy shade of blue, nearly gray with blindness. His eyelashes are long and flutter gently as he shifts again, curling his fingers against Sebastian's chest.

"You're warm," he murmurs, brushing his lips across Sebastian's throat before sitting up, stretching his arms above his head. Ciel's shirt is about two sizes too big and has slipped off of one shoulder, exposing a gentle curve of smooth skin that makes Sebastian straighten up in the bed, thighs together. "Do you want to do something together today?" 

Sebastian brushes two fingers across Ciel's cheek and leans into his lips. "Whatever you want is fine with me."

"When did you become so kind?" Ciel reaches for his eye patch and allows Sebastian to tie the knot at the back of his head, fingers lingering against the nape of his neck for a few seconds. "Usually you would adamant that we go out to Hebizaka and drive around until you get bored and insist we return." The junior moves so that he is resting against Sebastian's chest, arms crossed over his own. "You're a good person, you know that, right?"

"What brings this on?"

Ciel shrugs, turning to look at the other male. "I just thought you should know. I want you to be happy in this relationship as well."

"I am happy," Sebastian says, drawing small circles against the bare skin of Ciel's thigh. "I've never been this happy before. Not even when I'm racing am I as happy as I am when I'm with you." He sighs and moves to get up. "Would you like to go shopping or something? We could just walk around Shibuya all day." Ciel flops backwards onto the bed with a low groan, arms up over his head. He watches as Sebastian shimmies into a pair of jeans and a thin sweater. 

The weather is losing its antecedent bite of cold, but is still cold enough to warrant a light jacket and jeans. 

"If you'd like," Ciel says, no longer feeling that sick heaviness in his chest that had previously been paired with that phrase. He feels lighter when he's with Sebastian, like breathing is easier. It's a good feeling, one that's warm and resonates throughout his entire body. He truly does like Sebastian.

-

Chamber stands off to the side of Ciel's front door, where Ronald is crouched, his ear pressed flush to its wooden exterior. His hands are busy at the lock, skillfully picking away to break inside.

"You know, you're a real shitty lookout," Ronald grunts when the first few sections of the lock give way, allowing him access into the further placed grooves. "And stop wringing your hands, you're making me nervous. I swear to God that Will did this on purpose. If only he hadn't given me someone who is absolutely fuckin' useless."

"Hey! I'm not us-"

Before Chamber can finish his sentence, the lock gives and the door pops open. "Yes! Come on, Chamby, we're totally in here." Ronald pulls the tools from the lock and ushers a disgusted looking Chamber. "Now, if you touch anything, make sure to put it back _exactly_ the way you found it. Better yet, I'll even take pictures of the apartment before we touch anything." He makes a 'stay' motion to Chamber before circulating around the room, taking pictures of everything that could be lifted up or shifted around or misplaced. 

"Okay, let's get started," Ronald announces when his phone is safely put away. Chamber pulls out two tiny earpieces and hands one to Ronald. "These are like walkie-talkies, right?" He tucks the small device around his ear and watches as Chamber does the same.

"Yes, that's right. We can contact each other and Will by just pressing either of the buttons on the back." He pulls Ronald's hand up to brush the other male's fingers against the knobs that jut out of the object. "The one higher up is to contact Will, and the other one is to contact either me or Lau and Grell. Press it once for me and twice for them." Chamber drops Ronald's fingers after giving them a small, nearly imperceptible squeeze. "Let's get this over with, huh?"

Ronald's face flashes with heat as the older male slips past him, moving towards Ciel's bedroom. "Y-yeah," he manages to get out before heading into the living room. There's a table that he drops to his haunches to inspect, only to find it covered in take out menus and hand written notes. After a few minutes of rifling through the junk, Ronald hears Chamber's voice crackle into his ear, clear as a bell.

"I found Ciel's laptop, but it's password protected."

The two-tone haired male scoffs and stands up, pulling his suit jacket off and draping it over the back of a leather chair as he maneuvers to the bedroom. "Piece of cake," he responds, motioning for Chamber to hand him the device.

Chamber watches over Ronald's shoulder as he pulls the screen up and types something in.

 _Access Denied._  

"So, I guess it's not Sebastian's first or last name," Ronald remarks, carefully cracking his knuckles before leaning back into the keyboard.

"He's also not a 14 year old girl," Chamber deadpans, earning a harrowed look from the other, which silences him immediately.

After a few failed attempts, Ronald shifts, rolling his neck with a few audible cracks. Chamber eyes the pale skin at the nape of his neck curiously. 

"Do you know what kind of car Sebastian drives?" he asks, glancing back at Chamber, green eyes wide and earnest. 

The other male blinks, suddenly taken aback by the question. He wracks his brain for the answer, thinking of their race many moons ago. 

"It's a Jaguar. Why?"

Ronald types something in, only to have another _Access Denied_ window pop up. His bottom lip pokes out in quiet thought. "Do you know the make and model?"

"Uh, XJL, 2015. Is this helping us in any-"

"We're in!"

The originally dark screen gives way to a brightly lit photo of the ocean. All of Ciel's folders and files are neatly aligned, organized by size rather than name or date. Ronald reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small rectangular bit of plastic, a flash drive. When he plugs it into the side of Ciel's laptop, Chamber makes a wary noise.

"What are you doing?"

Ronald pushes up his glasses and clicks around at the objects onscreen. 

"I'm making copies of everything he has on here... who knows, they could come in handy. It's easier than stealing the whole laptop, and then have to go through the hassle of trying to sneak in again and put it back." He waits until the files are finished copying and pulls the drive from its slot before logging the computer back off and handing it to Chamber. "Put it back exactly where you found it. Have you found anything else?"

Chamber makes a humming sound as he sets the laptop back on the bed, exactly where he had found it: half hidden by pulled back blankets that smell faintly of vanilla and sweat. "Some old plane tickets, the poster from the time I raced Sebastian, a few photographs. Nothing too vital."

"You found pictures? Show them to me."

Ronald moves to the dresser where Chamber points and picks up the four pictures there: one of a crying redheaded woman, one of an amused looking Sebastian who is grabbing for the camera, one of a smiling blond, and one of a sleeping Ciel with his head tucked into Sebastian's chest. 

"Holy shit! Are they - are they dating?" He shakes the picture of the couple at Chamber, whose brows have ridden high on his forehead. "They're sleeping together and you didn't think that it was fucking vital?" Ronald snorts and brushes his fingers against the bottom button of the device twice, an incredulous smile on his face.

Grell's voice crackles over the speaker with a loud, " _oui_?" 

"Sebastian and Ciel are together," Ronald scoffs, pulling his phone out to take a picture of the image.

"We know that, we're following them. Thanks for the information."

Ronald shakes his head as he sets the pictures down. "No no no, like actually together - like fucking. They're dating, _mon bon monsieur_. I have seen proof of this first hand, so you'd better take my word for it."

"You're kidding," Lau interrupts, voice loud in Ronald's ear. "Maybe that's why it's been so hard to get them to separate from one another."

"We'll look into it," is all that Ronald says before he hangs up, turning towards Chamber. "I think we have enough information for now. Let's head out."

-

The bushes that Grell and Lau are crouched behind offer them well enough protection, but not nearly enough visibility. Ciel and Sebastian have been going in and out of stores all day, practically inseparable. 

"These bushes are giving me a rash," Lau gripes in Grell's ear, making the redhead gnash his teeth together angrily.

"Oh, _mon dieu_! You never stop, do you? Ronald's so lucky... getting stuck with the nervous one. While I am here! Hiding in some bushes, stuck with you!" Grell continues to mumble to himself as they look back for Ciel and Sebastian, who are laughing and chattering to one another. "Are they... are they holding hands?" The Frenchman sticks his neck forward a little, trying to a get a better look, and nearly topples over into the bushes. Lau grabs onto the back of his shirt roughly, hoisting him away from any imminent danger.

Lau's fingers are tight and warm against Grell's back, nearly hostile as he pulls the redhead back onto his haunches with a restrained growl. "Would you stop belittling me? I'm honestly trying to help you out here and all you've done is ridicule me. I really don't have to be here."

"You do if you want Will's plan to work and not have him as an enemy." Grell brushes his palms off on his jeans and stands, motioning for Lau to follow him as Ciel and Sebastian wander into the parking lot. It's a little after 6. "Ronald and Chamber have probably gotten enough information, so I'll tell them to head out." He presses the button behind his ear twice and lets his hands settle against the curves of his hips.

"Go for Ronald," the other male says in an overly-dramatic voice, like something out of a spy movie.

Grell sighs. "They're heading home. You'd better get out of there."

"Joke's on you, we've been out of there since like 10 this morning." There are a few sounds of interference in the headset, making Grell squint. "We -- laptop -- little shit won't know what -- I'm outtie." The connection drops and Grell allows his shoulders to sag, murmuring a few swears in French under his breath. 

Lau scratches at a spot on his arm as Grell leads them back to their own car, a demure little Mazda.

"I think those bushes gave me some weird kind of rash," he repeats as Grell starts  the engine and backs the car out of the parking lot.

Grell is about to respond with how much he doesn't care, but instead just shakes his head, adjusting his glasses with a gentle nudge of his index finger. 

-

Ciel pushes at the door to his apartment with a foot, struggling with the load of bags in his arms and the keys in his hand. Sebastian is close behind him to help out, pushing it fully open with a free hand. It's a little after seven in the evening and the sky has turned an inky blue color, rich and heavy. They drop all the bags in front of the door and take their shoes off, each offering small greetings of 'I'm home' in exhausted Japanese. 

"I didn't expect to be gone that long," the junior groans, rubbing at the back of his head tiredly. "Are you spending the night?" 

Sebastian lifts his shoulders in a gentle shrug and bends to brush his lips against Ciel's in a small, compassionate way. "If you want me to, I will." He stoops to rifle through the bags and pick out his own, setting them into a pile beside the others. "I should probably call my father and tell him that I'm staying." 

"Yes, of course."

Ciel watches as Sebastian pulls out his phone and travels over to the balcony for better reception. He can hear his boyfriend murmuring quietly, telling him their plans, saying that he'll return tomorrow and that he hopes his father sleeps well. The junior smiles and pads across the apartment to him, slipping his arms around Sebastian's middle. He's warm, like a furnace or something, and the quiet moving of his back as he speaks nearly puts Ciel to sleep right there on the spot. 

"I love you," he whispers into Sebastian's back, ever so quietly. The taller male's posture softens as he turns and takes Ciel's hands, leading him to a chair. His hands are on Ciel's hips, his lips against his neck, but Sebastian can't get comfortable. He twists and reaches behind his back, fingers grabbing at something soft. 

A suit jacket.

He pulls it away and holds it out towards Ciel, brows knit. "Is this yours?"

The junior shakes his head, clearly disappointed that their little session is over as quickly as it's begun. "No, not mine. Maybe it's yours?"

"I haven't worn a suit since Chamber's party. I don't know whose it could be -" Sebastian's voice is cut off when Ciel shifts closer on his hips, drawing a particularly teasing moan from his lips. "But - heh- I guess we could just think about it tomorrow?"

Ciel gives an impish, nearly lascivious smile. "Much better idea."

 

 


	17. Waru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life's hard when you're a shitty person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so!!! who caught that at the end - Ronald's a dork and I love him, but he's not the brightest. 
> 
> also, PumpkinFabilaux made me a mix for this fic - you can click this linky link if you'd like to download and listen to it: https://app.box.com/s/gn9bizh0wupm7svdx3iusdosd46mflf0
> 
> I plan to end this fic in about 8-10 chapters :(((( but! on the bright side, I already have another fic idea floating around in my cranium. it'd mean a lot if you stuck around for that one too.
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

"You did _what_?" Will's teeth come together in a grit as he rounds on Ronald, who has his hands up in a mock protective gesture. If the taller male were an animal, he truly would be a dragon, made up of hell fire and brimstone. "Out of all the idiotic things that you could do - honestly Ronald! Sometimes I even wonder if you have a brain." He squeezes at the bridge of his nose, eyes falling from snakelike slits to exhausted orbs.

Ronald laughs, despite the slightly painful hurt that blooms in the center of his chest, and waves his hands in a placating way. "It's fine. I'll just slip back in and grab the jacket. No biggie. Worst case scenario is that one of them found it. There's no specific evidence linking it to me. They'll never know I was there." He shrugs his shoulders in a lighthearted, teasing way. "Besides, we got all that shit off of his computer, so why don't you just take a Xanax and pat me on the head, maybe even tell me what a good boy I am."

From the couch in the center of the room, Chamber snorts, rotating one ankle in the air. He's become much more relaxed around them all, even going so far as to crack a few jokes. "Praise kink much?" He tilts his head to catch the flash of red across Ronald's face, clashing with the emerald green of his eyes.

"Don't you know it," the younger male responds breezily, jumping away from a well-placed smack that originates from Will's direction.

He's seething, shoulders set in a way that translates out to 'sit down and stop dicking around.'

"Do you guys think this is a fucking joke?" Will's tone borders on acrimonious, nearly so acidic it has Ronald backing away towards Chamber's couch. "You've done something that could possibly set us back hundreds of dollars and wasted time, and you're joking around like you're on vacation." He pushes a finger into Ronald's chest, shoving at him. "Get in there, get your jacket, and get out. If you're caught, or even suspected, I will end your life in Japan." Will's eyes flash something bloodthirsty.

Ronald steps further away, suddenly nervous.

"Look, it was just an accident. It won't happen again, I'll get it back. I just need to know when they'll be out of the house and then I can just jet over there." He sits on the floor, back against the sides of the cushions on the couch. Chamber's hand moves minutely to rest near Ronald's neck. He glances back at the blond, a small smile on his lips. "D'ya wanna come with me?"

Chamber nods, a nearly imperceptible movement that gets Ronald moving, slapping his hands absently against his thighs. 

"Okay! I'll call Grell and see if he's how you say, _en guarde_?"

"I think you should really just learn French instead of doing this all the time."

Within the span of a few minutes, they're out of Will's house, conveniently camped out in the parking lot outside of Ciel's apartment. Grell's notified them that they're getting ready for school and will most likely leave in a few minutes. Ronald is hunkered down in the front seat, arms behind his head. Chamber looks rather disinterested in the passenger's side of the car, but if he is, he hasn't complained. 

"What's taking these kids so long? I mean, honestly, how long does it take to get dressed?" He scoffs and shifts so that his feet are on the dashboard beside the steering wheel. "I guess it's easy these days for kids to get caught with their hands down someone else's pants." 

Chamber gives a low whistle, eyeing Ronald. "Speaking from experience?"

The younger male snorts, arms behind his head. "Well, y'know, I was a kid once too. I used to fool around with kids from all over the school: football players, chess club kids, cheerleaders, exchange students, the whole nine yards." Ronald sighs, closing his eyes. "I dunno, I used to enjoy being with a bunch of people at different times and now it's just... me." He opens his eyes and turns his head to Chamber, who has been looking at him the whole time. "I know it hurts when people talk about you being all over girls. I get it - Will thinks I'm an idiot, and it hurts." 

He puffs out his cheeks and shifts, prepared to say more, but is surprised by Chamber fitting a hand against the nape of his neck and crushing their lips together in a kiss so hard it makes his teeth hurt. There is a sweet hint of tongue, and by the time the mouths part, Ronald is nearly drunk on the quickness of the moment. 

Chamber's lavender eyes are fixated straight ahead, following something through the dashboard. 

"Sorry about that," he murmurs, still not looking at Ronald. "The kids came out and Ciel looked directly at us. I had to do something that would shock them enough that it made them leave."

"No, s'fine." Ronald scratches lazily at the back of his neck, which is cold from the absence of Chamber's particularly warm fingers. "I guess we should get in there, huh?" He pushes the door open and sticks his hands in his pockets, motioning with his head for Chamber to follow close behind as they make their way into the apartment complex, dodging anyone of interest or that seemed to live near Ciel. They make their way up the stairs and onto Ciel's floor. 

It's easy enough to break into, but once they're inside, the jacket is no where to be seen. After nearly ten minutes of carefully rifling through drawers and Ciel's closet, the front door makes a clicking sound. 

Ronald freezes, elbow deep in Ciel's sweaters, and slowly turns his head towards the source of the sound. 

"Did you find what you were looking for?" 

Ciel stands in the doorway with his hands on his hips. Sebastian towers behind him, arms crossed over his chest. 

"I thought you were... at school." Chamber shrinks back in on himself, moving to stand behind Ronald. "Look, I... I just wanted my jacket back."

"We already know what you guys are doing," Ciel says, tilting his head to the side. He makes a small motion to Sebastian, who turns away and heads into Ciel's bedroom. The smaller male sighs and rubs at the back of his head. "You know, this apartment building does have cameras in it, and security will tell you when two people are seen breaking into your apartment." 

Ronald blanches and turns to look at Chamber, who is just as frozen. 

"Wait, you knew it was us?"

Ciel shrugs, watching as Sebastian returns with the all-too familiar suit jacket. "Not at first. But this morning, the front desk called and said that they caught some rather odd footage on camera." He rubs at his good eye, sighing loudly. "If you're going to break into someone's house, you should really do a better job." The single blue orb falls on Chamber, who makes a sound in the back of his throat. "And you - I thought I told you to never let me see you again. Or do you need a little reminder of your party? I have the dress in my closet, I can put it on if you'd like-"

"That's enough," Sebastian says as he slips a hand against Ciel's neck, comfortingly. The junior responds by allowing his shoulders to go lax, easing into the touch before allowing the taller male to pull away and shake the jacket in Ronald's direction. "Take it and get it. Whatever Will's doing, it won't work. He's just wasting his time and making himself look foolish."

Ronald doesn't take it - he's too busying staring at Ciel, brows knit heavily. 

"You two are really dating, aren't you?"

Blue meets red. "We are. And what of you two?

Green meets lavender. "A distraction tactic. Nothing more than that."

Ciel makes a sound between his lips, something throaty and vaguely alluring. "We'll see about that. I still haven't forgiven you for destroying my cars. However," he says, taking a seat on the couch, arms spread out across its back, "perhaps if you put your alliances with me, I'll waive everything that you've done. You, Lau, and even him," Ciel finishes, nodding towards Ronald. 

"There's no way Lau and Grell would accept that," Ronald says absently, scratching at the back of his head. 

Ciel and Sebastian look at each other, wearing similar masks of confusion. "Wait, Grell? Wasn't he Aunt An's business partner? What's he doing with a sorry lot like you? With _Will_ , of all people."

"They apparently go way back," Ronald explains, sitting down on the couch. Ciel makes a face at the unwelcome movements but says nothing. "Some weird racer history or something? I think that means they were fucking or something, but anyone who would want to have sex with Will is out of their mind." He stretches his arms back over his head, making a small noise of contempt. 

Chamber grimaces at the thought of his boss wrapped around someone, all keening whines and heightened voice. He turns to look at Ciel and Sebastian, who are quietly talking. The smaller male runs his fingers against the underside of Sebastian's wrist: a small, overtly loving motion. They're standing quite close to one another, and Chamber can see the gentle hand that Sebastian has on the back of Ciel's neck, can see the way that his thumb makes slow circles against the boy's hairline. 

He nearly blushes when he sees the open displays of affection - their's is a cautious love, one slow and strong.

Chamber thinks about the Cupid's bow of Ronald's lips, thinks about how hard he'd pressed their mouths together. He had felt Ronald's teeth beneath his lips and wondered if the action had hurt him. He thinks about the way that the male's arms are stretched up over his head, nonchalantly, as if he's completely comfortable being in someone else's house, like it doesn't bother him at all to be hard pressed to two sides, each equally terrifying and hostile.

However, Chamber assumes that Ciel and Sebastian are much more gentle than they've led on, judging by their tender actions towards one another. They're not all blood and spit and bone like Will is, they aren't ruthlessly cold and cruel, they're even as frightening. They're just two kids that are trying to get by. He shifts minutely in his spot, glancing from end to end of the room.

"I'll do it," Chamber says after a while, gaining attention from all those present.

Ciel is first to speak, a smile spreading across his face. "Are you sure?" he asks, stepping away from Sebastian, all of his moments calm and calculated. "And what about him? He's worked for you, he's done some equally awful things. Surely he would also like to repent and put his trust in someone worth while."

Chamber moves into Ciel's path before he can get to Ronald, fists clenched. "You're not mean," he all but shouts, shoulders rigid. "I know that you've had - had a hard time in life, but I know that you're not mean! You act like you're big and bad, but I can see how gentle you are, Ciel! I'm sorry for what I've done to you, but you don't need to put on this mask!" His shoulders tense as he tries to stand his ground.

"Excuse me?" Ciel purrs deep in his throat, spreading his fingers wide against his chest, nearly seductively. "You think you know me? You think you know my life?" Sebastian touches at his shoulder but the action is pushed past. "What's your reasoning for this logic? How can you come to this when you hardly know me?" He bares ivory teeth, motions suddenly fluid as he grabs for Chamber's shirt, pulling him closer so that they're nearly nose to nose. "You'd better rethink the way that you view of me if you want to put your trust in me." 

Chamber manages to get an arm past Ciel's shoulder to point at Sebastian. "He's my proof!" Ciel lets go of the shirt, turning to the taller male, who has advanced cautiously, one hand outstretched towards Ciel, almost claw-like. "You're so gentle when it comes to him, so careful. You can't tell me that that's not the real you. I know what I've seen and I know what I know."

He glances backwards to see Ronald sitting up, emerald eyes wide. 

"I'm trusting you because I don't want to be pushed around by Will anymore." Chamber tightens his clenched firsts further, swallowing hard. "I'm trusting you because I have no one else to trust." He looks at Ronald expectantly. "We're a team now, right? Teams do things together, so I need you to do this with me. I need to let Will know that what he's doing - what we're doing - is wrong. I don't want to live like this anymore, I don't want to be afraid of Will anymore!" Chamber is near to tears and Ronald is to his feet, gentle words spilling from his mouth.

"Hey, it's okay. I'll do this with you, please don't cry." 

Ciel allows his defensive stance to drop, coaxed into relaxing by the soothing sweeps of Sebastian's hand against his lower back. He slips a hand behind his head, lazily rubbing at it. "I guess it can't be helped, can it? Fine, you can be on our side. However, keep pretending to have loyalties to Will. I want to know everything that he's planning." Ciel reaches into his pocket and tosses a small set of keys to Chamber, who nearly drops them. "We're going to school now. Let yourselves out and lock up afterwards, would you? Don't forget to tell the others - I wouldn't want them to ruin the whole thing." 

He steps into the doorway, motioning for Sebastian. 

"Have a good day, gentlemen. And remember, keep your guard up. You never know who's watching."


	18. Shintaku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Working stuff out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i felt kind of shitty about the last update - i felt like it was rushed and awkward and i'm really really sorry for that. i'll try to do better this time. 
> 
> also - ronald and chamber, who knew? like, absolutely no communication in the manga or anime, but here I am, smashing them together for my own personal needs and pleasures. (speaking of pleasure, maybe a tiny bit of sexual implications????? i am just a tiny sexually confused teen, please do not judge me)
> 
> hope you're all well
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

Sebastian glances at Ciel when they're in the car and are out of the parking lot, leaving the apartment behind. "I hope you know what you're doing. I've never seen you so trusting of someone," he says, pressing the break gently to nearly avoid running into a ragged looking Mitsubishi. "I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but this doesn't seem very smart." When Ciel doesn't respond, Sebastian continues. "After all that they've done, is this really a good idea? They can act coy and play favorites all that they want, but as soon as something goes wrong, their loyalties will turn and we'll have our backs to the wall - do you really want that?"

"Are you honestly going to ridicule me this early in the morning?" Ciel murmurs quietly, pressing his fingertips to his temples. "Look, I know it all seems ridiculous - you think I don't know that? It's a gamble, that's what I'm doing, I'm gambling. I'm not trusting them at all." He looks at Sebastian, good eye narrowed. "If you really think that I don't know where to place my loyalties, then you can just stop the car and let me out. I know what I'm doing. Don't treat me like a child."

The senior sighs and nuzzles a hand underneath Ciel's chin - the smaller male gives into the action and lets his shoulders drop. 

"I'm just worried about you. I don't want you to get hurt." 

Ciel turns his head away, allowing Sebastian to knot his fingers into Ciel's hair. The gesture is protective and intimate, much like every other gesture they've shared with one another since getting together. His digits are warm against the younger male's skull, gentle and kneading. Ciel closes his eyes and leans into the touch, suddenly much calmer than before. 

"I don't mean to make you worry," he murmurs, shifting his shoulders to press even further against Sebastian's hand, "but I just want you to trust me, okay? I know it may not make sense now, but I know what I'm doing. You're just going to have to trust me." 

Sebastian makes a noise of agreement as he pulls into the school's parking lot. "I do trust you. I'll do whatever you say, and I'll go along with whatever you think is right." He pulls his hand, rather reluctantly, from Ciel's kitten soft locks and turns the car off. They get out and walk to the school's entrance hand in hand, which gains the eyes of many onlookers, including a very wide, very blue pair. 

"Well I'll be damned," Alois coos, curling his fingers in the front of Ciel's sweater, lips grazing across his ear in a coquettish manner that sets Sebastian's teeth on edge. He knows it's a harmless action, but it still bothers him. He grimaces and pulls Ciel's back with a tug on his hand. "I knew that there was something going on between you two, but I didn't know that you'd work it out within half a year." The blond gives a low whistle and claps his hands together in an almost condescending way. 

Ciel fixes him with a look that is neither calm nor irritated.

"Alois, you're with Claude, correct?"

The blond scoffs, one brow raised deviously. "Been with him every way you could imagine, kitten. On my knees, tables, everything." He tilts his head minutely to the left, appearing almost childish. "Why do you want to know?"

Ciel mimics the head tilt, bottom lip slightly poked out in thought. "William Spears has devised a plan to take Funtom out from underneath me and end Sebastian's racing career. I'm amassing a series of racers - the more on my side, the more Will can't corrupt."

"Wait, what?" Sebastian narrows his eyes in confusion. "I wasn't aware of this. When did you figure this out?" 

"You hadn't figured it out? Honestly, I thought you would've caught on by now. Ronald isn't the best at covering his tracks - he signed into the wrong account on my laptop. There are two, one for personal use and one for work. He'd logged into my work one, which I don't use unless I'm actually at work." Ciel leans heavily against the lockers to slip on his school shoes. "He made copies of all my files for Funtom." 

Sebastian blinks a few times, mouth turned down at the corners. Something settles in the bottom of his stomach - the heavy unknown. It rises in his throat; it tastes like cherries and vomit. He hates this feeling, the feeling of being left in the shadowed dark of the boy in front of him, standing proud and smirking. 

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Nothing personal, I thought you knew." Ciel lifts his shoulders in a thin shrug, rubbing his fingers along the back of his neck. "They're all underhanded tactics if you ask me, he won't race so he's just trying to bury me underneath everything that I've worked for." He goes stony-faced for a moment, body stilling very slightly. "He's just trying to get under my skin, and frankly, it's not working."

Alois makes a gentle cooing sound over that of the morning bell.

"Come on, kitten. Let's get you to class, huh? Take a load off." He loops his fingers around Ciel's thin wrist and tugs him down the hall, offering a small wave to Sebastian. When they're safely in the classroom, the blond pushes the small, raven haired teen into his chair, smiling widely. "So, tell me everything. I knew you two were... invested into each other, but the whole holding hands thing completely blew my mind. Tell me everything," he reiterates, circling around Ciel's desk like a loud, irritating hawk. 

Ciel rubs at his chin. "Maybe I can convince Will to race Sebastian again."

"You're not telling me everything," Alois whines, shoulders sagging. "Have you two fucked yet? He's tall, so I bet he's pretty well-endowed. How big would you say he is?"

"Absolutely none of your business," Ciel retorts, watching as the room fills with other chattering students. "I'm not even sure what I did to Will to make him want to destroy me so badly." He props a hand underneath his chin, elbow on the desk. "I met him once, as a child. A year or two before my parents died. He was still a teenager, fresh out of high school. He told my father how much he admired his line of work, how much he appreciated everything that he'd done for the car industry." 

Alois yawns loudly, rubbing at one of his eyes. "I don't see where Claude comes into all of this - I don't understand what's happening." 

"Maybe he blames me for their deaths. Funtom was my father's legacy, and now it's mine. I control all the funds, all the shipments, everything." He shrugs his shoulders again. "I'm just running in circles," he murmurs. "I know what I'm doing, but I feel like no one else trusts me." 

The blond spreads his fingers across Ciel's back, tenderly. "It's okay, I know that you know what you're doing. I trust you, and I trust Sebastian. I may not always understand what's going on through your brain, but I'll always support you." He stands and brushes his lips against the crown of Ciel's head. "I love you, you know that right?"

"You know, you're a lot better when you aren't being a complete ass," Ciel scoffs, pushing fingers up against the bridge of his nose. "Thank you, though. It truly does mean a lot to hear you say that."

Alois makes a sound in his throat as he sits back down. "Just looking out for my boy, you know? We've been friends forever, so it's the most that I can do. Support is just a natural part of being friends. I'm just doing what I should do." He straightens up when their teacher comes in, quietly silencing the class in a soft voice.

-

Lunch is a blur of spilled rice and dropped chopsticks - Ciel nearly 'spills' his tea all over Sebastian and the others, Sebastian chokes on a a mouthful of fish and is almost yanked out of his seats by the roots of his hair and Bard. They spend the entire break clumsily talking over one another, each apologizing at the same time and then directly doing it again. 

Things are slightly calmer when they're all in the garage, each taking up their usual positions: Bard piddling around in the hood of a 2015 Altima, Finny in front of the computer, Mey-rin running around like a chicken with its head cut off, and Sebastian and Ciel tucked away in the office. 

"Well, he's not just going to agree to race Sebastian right off the bat," Ciel says into the phone that's cradled between his ear and shoulder. He makes a motion to Sebastian and holds up a small slip of paper that says '6:30, 2 weeks, LL.' He switches the phone to his other ear, allowing the older male a flash of his neck. There's a medium sized, particularly purple splotch nestled into his left collarbone, concealed all day by the pinching embrace of his tie. Sebastian glances away, suddenly and shortly embarrassed. The junior props his feet up on the desk, reclining in the swivel-backed office chair. "That's not my problem. Just - Yes, I understand that, but you're the ones who will have to convince him. Two weeks. Tell him that Sebastian is dying to race him again - it's technically not a lie. Yes, that's fine. Two weeks, don't forget."

Ciel rests the phone back on its hook and turns in the chair to look at Sebastian almost expectantly, lips pursed in a self-pleased way.

"I'm not doing it," Sebastian says, jaw firmly set. 

"Excuse me?" There is crackling venom in Ciel's voice, anger apparent in his posture as he shifts upwards, one hand clenched around the arm of the chair. "Did you just say that you _weren't_ going to race? Aren't you the one that's usually begging me to let you get out there and race against these low-life nobodies that sleep in their cars and haven't a steady pay in six years? Aren't you the one that always wants to go practice your drifting or your turning or your braking? I finally get something set up and you don't _want_ to do it?!" He's practically yelling and has risen out of his seat to cross over to Sebastian, poking him in the chest for emphasis. 

The senior tries to keep calm by clenching his fists. "It's in two weeks, Ciel! If you hadn't noticed, I lost the last time I raced Will. He'll just do what he did last time and I'll fall for it again! I don't want to disappoint you again." His voice has fallen softer, which draws a pained look across Ciel's face.

"You haven't disappointed me. You did so well, Sebastian. Trust me, if you do this, I know you can win. It's at the LL, where all of this started. You know the layout, you know the turns. If you won there once - as someone just starting out, mind you - you can win there again." He reaches up to cup Sebastian's face, fingers combing through his hair. "You've never disappointed me once." 

Sebastian offers a wan smile in return, but fear still weighs heavily in his stomach. 

He's nervous. Will isn't an easy competitor. He isn't like Lau and Chamber. Will is a monster, a dragon destined to crush all in its way. That scares Sebastian. It scares him to know that there's someone that domineering out there, potentially waiting for him. 

"Fine, I'll do it. But, I want to be ready - that means I will practice as much as it takes for the next two weeks. When he agrees, I want to be ready to get back at him. I'm not a vindictive person, but Will deserves to be destroyed. He deserves to have his whole life ripped away from him." He takes a deep breath and pulls away from Ciel's fingers, straightening up to his full height. "Let's do this, huh? Let's make Will wish he had never come back to Japan."

Ciel squeezes Sebastian's fingers gently, nodding. "I know that you can do this."

"No, I know that we can do this." Sebastian presses his lips to Ciel's in a short kiss. "We started this together, and we're going to finish this together. Your promise was to make me the best racer in all of Japan, and I plan to hold you to it."

-

Ronald and Chamber sit side by side on the loveseat, looking much more comfortable with one another than Lau and Grell do, who occupy opposite ends of the adjacent couch. Will sits at the computer, delving through the information extracted from Ciel's laptop.

"He's dying to race you again," Ronald says for the tenth time, moving so that his feet are on Chamber's lap, his arms behind his head. "I think you should accept his offer - the brat did make a date and everything." He looks at Chamber, who smirks knowingly. It's all a mind game now, ever since Ciel proposed them to join his side. Ciel truly isn't a bad person, not like Will is. Ciel is small and soft, but with that hard bite to his edges. Will is all angles, sharp and dangerous. Ronald and the others must be much more careful around Will than they must be around Ciel.

Will turns his head to look at them, eyes narrowed. "Why do you want me to race him so badly? Is it because you want to race him as well?"

"I'm not in this - I've never raced Sebastian to begin with. Aleister and Lau are the only ones with a beef against the guy - I'm just in it for the money."

If Will notices the friendly switch from Chamber to Aleister, he doesn't say anything. Instead, he turns back to the computer. "We can see every adjustment that Ciel has made to Sebastian's car, and we can figure out a way to stop the modifications from functioning." His jaw shifts in thought. "Fine, I'll accept. What date has he picked?"

_Too easy. Something's wrong._

"Two weeks from now, in the Lower Level. It's out behind 109," Ronald says, catching Chamber's attention by scratching the spot behind his ear, their sign for trouble. Ciel had been right when he'd said that Will wouldn't accept right off the bat - the two weeks was not to lengthen Sebastian's leash, but to shorten Will's. Two weeks would give the group at the garage time to flush out any potential competitors and line them up in case Will rejected. Two weeks would give them time to wear Will down and irritate him so far so that he'd race just to get them to go away. 

Chamber clears his throat and mimics the signal to the others, who exchange looks.

"Lower Level?" Will repeats, shoulders itching backwards into a stretch. "Interesting. Yes, I'll race him in two weeks." He stands up, hands by his sides. "I suppose we could add a few... adaptations, shall we say, to the cars that will be racing with me as well."

Ronald flinches. "He only wants to race you, Will."

"That wasn't the plan. Chamber and Lau are also supposed to race so that he will have a lesser chance of winning." 

"Plans change-"

"Not this one!" Will's voice silences all other noises in and around the house. Ronald shrinks back as though he's been slapped across the face, brows knit. "This plan... and all of its components... must be concrete. There must be no way that Sebastian can win. He will be last and he will _never_ race again." His eyes narrow harshly as he glares at the others present. "If anyone has any qualms with this, I'd be more than happy to send you on a one-way flight out of Japan."

For a split second, he looks nearly venomous: like a real dragon. 

"This plan," he says again, "must be concrete."

His shoulders shift in an irritated manner as Ronald straightens his posture. "It will be," he agrees. "Watertight, even. I promise that no one will be able to work themselves out of this plan." He smiles thinly, mouth twitching slightly.

"Good. I want you two to continue keeping tabs on Ciel and Sebastian," Will says, motioning to Ronald and Chamber respectively before moving towards Grell and Lau. "As for you two, I'd like you to keep and eye on those that work for or are relatively with Ciel: the little blond one, those three at his garage, and the other three he has working for him behind the scenes." 

"Whatever you say," they all chorus, not looking at Will.

-

Sebastian's house is quiet when he gets back, ushering in a cold, angry looking Ciel. Despite the recent spike in temperatures, he's still complaining about the wind and constantly tries to stick his hands in Sebastian's shirt or pockets to keep them warm. 

His father is on the couch, asleep with the television on. The two abandon their shoes at the door and slip into Sebastian's tiny bedroom, which somehow ends up with Sebastian turned halfway onto his side with Ciel nearly straddling his thighs, hands pressed into his chest. 

"I love you," he murmurs into Sebastian's hair, lips brushing against the senior's ear. "I want you to win, I want you to do so well," he breathes as Sebastian shifts, back flush into the futon, allowing Ciel a better angle at his hips. 

Sebastian's fingers push Ciel's shirt up, skating hot digits against his skin as his tongue slides against Ciel's, pushing saliva past his lips. There are slightly aborted movements of hips against his own as Ciel pulls away and tugs the offending fabric up over his head, tossing it somewhere behind him. 

Silence falls upon them, aside from the ragged breathing and soft slurping sounds, as they quietly struggle against the futon, fingers clawing and groping skin, toes curling and stretching, mouths gaping and gasping. 

Ciel presses a half placed kiss against the corner of Sebastian's mouth when the taller male bucks against him roughly, fingers latched into the smooth skin of his slender thighs, apologizing when he curses under his breath as he cums, forehead pressed against Ciel's. 

They do not move or talk for a while, instead lay flush against one another, each drawing lazy patterns on the other's body with tired, trembling fingers. 

"I love you," Ciel repeats, tracing hearts across Sebastian's chest.

The senior chuckles, a deep sound that rumbles beneath Ciel's ear, and grazes the pads of his fingers across Ciel's spine, gently lingering in each divot between the boy's vertebrae. "I love you, too." He is quiet for a moment, and then swallows hard. "What if I lose against Will? I'm not sure that I could handle that for a second time."

"Shhh," Ciel hushes, spreading his fingers over Sebastian's mouth, propping himself up on his elbows so that he can better look at the doubtful senior. "It's okay, we don't have to talk about it. I know that you can win. I know that you can do what you want and that you will show him who's in charge." His fingers lock into Sebastian's hair and tug his head back, pecking kisses at his throat. "Show him who's in charge, all right?" 

"Is it that easy, though? Will - he's not like anyone else I've ever raced before. Will is almost like poison. I can't describe it - he just scares the shit out of me."

Ciel nods, tucking his head underneath Sebastian's chin.

"That's how Will is. Will is the most toxic person I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. He makes Chamber and Lau look like teenagers that are just taking Driver's Ed. He's horrifying, and beautiful. The way that Will races is almost like... it's like watching a plane crash. You shouldn't watch, but it's all that you can do." He pauses, fingers curling against Sebastian's chest. "The way you drive, however, is just beautiful. It's almost like you become one with the car, like you give over everything that you are to it, and then some."

Sebastian tilts his head back, stares at the ceiling, and thinks about the boy in his arms.

"Life's funny, isn't it?" he says quietly, not waiting for Ciel respond. "I wonder how different it would all be if I hadn't gone to the race that night." His arm tightens unconsciously around Ciel's waist. "I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world. To stay with you, I'd throw every race I came across."

Ciel takes a small breath and coaxes his lips across Sebastian's chest in a minute, tender way.

"I don't have any plans to leave you, so promise me that you won't throw away all of our hard work."

That word, _we_ , makes warmth bloom throughout Sebastian's chest. 

He nods, closing his eyes. "I promise."


	19. Akuma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hoped everyone liked the last update; i did.
> 
> hope you're all well, love you all
> 
> also, sorry this took so long. had some things to work out.
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

The restaurant that Ciel and Alois are seated at is fairly quietly and brightly lit, all costumed waitresses and smiling patrons. 

"How do you plan to train your little dog?" Alois asks over a cup of green tea, brows lifted suggestively. "Whips and chains? Handcuffs? I took a _kinbaku_ class a few months ago, I can teach you all the basic knots if you'd like." A passing waitress glances in their direction, face peppered red. Ciel dabs at his mouth with a linen napkin and sets it down on the table. 

Sebastian's training begins today - one day into the two weeks. Ciel had planned to take him out to Hebizaka, decided that the twists and turns would be good enough, be rethought it. The only place good enough to train Sebastian for the LL is the LL itself. 

"Considerate, but that won't be needed," Ciel says, brandishing a pair of titanium chopsticks over his lunch of shoyu ramen. It resembles the one at school, but is much less salty, less gritty. It's easier on his stomach and doesn't leave a greasy feeling on the roof of his mouth. "I'm sending him out to the place where the race will take place. It doesn't make much sense to practice for a course on a completely different track." He lowers his head towards the noodles, blowing on them gently before taking a small bite. "I still think it's a little taboo to have the race in the first place he won at, but who am I to judge?"

Alois' elbows meet the table and his fingers link to create a bridge that his chin rests on, an impish smile on his face. "Taboo, huh? Do you think he'll lose?"

"I don't," Ciel deadpans without hesitating, hands making fists against the table. "He won't lose, not again, not this time. I won't let that happen again - I refuse to see him look that... defeated again." He stares into the dark colored broth of his soup, brows knit. 

The blond makes a humming noise in his throat, mouth curled with pleasure. "How cute - you really like him, don't you?"

"I do," Ciel responds just as bluntly as before, stirring the ramen around in its bowl. "Perhaps too much. Perhaps this situation has become too much." He sets the chopsticks back down and tilts his head to the left. "I never expected us to end up this way. I never expected to give him cars, or let him take me all the way across Tokyo, or take me on these insufferably long trips that I don't even find long." Ciel straightens up in his seat, shoulders stiff. "I took him to France with me, for God's sake!" He rubs at his good eye. "It's impossible to describe, the way I feel about him." 

Alois lifts a brow and tilts his head slightly, mouth quirked. "You love him, don't you?" He picks up the ceramic cup and swirls its contents around. "I understand - I feel the same about Claude. Ridiculous, right? Me, the biggest flirt in all of Japan, falling in love. But I guess the same thing could be said about you, being the isolated little prat I know you to be. He must've really gotten under your skin, huh? When you're with him, it makes your chest burn, doesn't it?"

"It does."

"But it's a good burn."

Ciel sets his chopsticks down and runs his tongue across his top teeth. "If - if he loses, I think that it will crush him. I really do; he may stop racing." He pinches at the bridge of his nose, clearly exasperated. "That's what Will does. I've seen him destroy hundreds of racers, without remorse, without even a second thought. When Will sets his mind to something, it gets done." His eye flicks up to Alois', blue meeting blue. "So I'm going to do everything in my power to make Sebastian win. I will do whatever it takes to assure his win - to assure his future as a racer."

"Little minx," Alois sneers, setting a few yen on the tabletop, "how far will you go to do that?"

"When it comes to Sebastian, I'll do anything."

-

The LL is cold and barren when they arrive late into the evening. It's different when it's empty, all quietly cast shadows thrown across darkened corners and silent elevators all lit up, waiting to be used. 

Ciel perches on the steps that lead up to the second floor, a stopwatch in hand. "I'm going to time you. If you get anything over a minute, you'll do it again. Understand?"

Sebastian sits in the Jaguar, newly modified by Bard to climb faster, fingers drumming nervously against the wheel. "Are you sure we can be here?"

"Are you going to worry, or are you going to shut up and drive so that you can win?"

The car starts without another delay and Ciel calls out a quick, "Go!" to Sebastian, immediately starting the stopwatch as soon as the Jag's wheel screech against the concrete, starting up to the turn of the second floor. Numbers flick by, each mounting higher than the last, clocking in at a full three minutes. Ciel sidles up to the stalled car and pulls the driver side door open, displaying the small stopwatch to Sebastian. "Too slow, do it again."

"I don't know if I -"

Ciel's fingers reach out and yank hold of Sebastian's shirtfront as he leans into the car so that they're nose to nose. "Look, if you want to win, you can't have that attitude. You cannot be on the fence about this. If you want to win, you're going to have push - you're going to have to drive until you run out of gas, until your hands are bleeding from being around the wheel for so long. If you want to win, you can't give up, do you understand?" 

Ruby eyes that glint like garnets underneath the dim, yellow lighting dart back over Ciel's face. "Yes, I understand. I'm sorry," he murmurs as the fingers retract. "Have you had those three at the garage look into the embezzlement?"

"You needn't worry about that, but yes. I've also had Ronald and Chamber looking into it as well. For being such terrible people up until late, they've really come in handy." He taps the roof of the car twice and returns to his seat on the steps. "Do it again."

Sebastian shuts the door and turns on the radio as he revs the engine shortly. "I'll do whatever it takes," he says over Ciel's command to start.

Four runs later and Sebastian has nearly managed to get to the top and back in under a minute. Sweat has begun to seep through the front of his plain white shirt, darkening it in a few spots. The ridges of skin under his fingers have begun to ache, cracking into thin red lines from being so hard-pressed against the wheel. He stands beside the car, arms stretched up over his head.

"I can't feel my legs," he murmurs as Ciel pads towards him, hands on his on hips.

"I can't believe you managed to get it so close in just one night. This may not even take two weeks."

Sebastian's brows knit as he turns his head to look at Ciel. "No, I want to take the time that I was given. If I'm given a day, I'll use a day. If I'm given two weeks, I'll use two weeks. It's not a contest of how quickly I can get up the course, it's a contest of how fast I can beat Will." He flexes his fingers. "I want to win, and winning will take practice and patience."

Ciel's lip curl as his brows raise. "You're very serious about this aren't you?"

"Incredibly serious. I want to show Will that he can't beat me, that I'm the best racer in all of Japan." Sebastian steps towards Ciel, fingers traipsing down to the slight dip of his waist. "You are going to make me the best racer in all of Japan still, right?" 

The junior smirks, raising almost imperceptibly onto his toes for a kiss. "Of course I am," he murmurs as their lips brush, talking against Sebastian's mouth. "I don't lie and I don't break promises." Ciel pulls away gingerly, fingers carding through his black hair. "Now, get back in the car and show me how badly you want to win."

Sebastian scoffs and ducks back into the Jaguar, a smirk on his face. "Your wish is my command."

-

"I can crash at your place tonight, right?"

Sebastian wipes his slightly injured hands against the front of his shirt, glancing at the smaller male in the passenger seat. It's a little after eleven at night, and Sebastian is fairly tired from driving for so long. His shoulders and neck have both gone stiff with sitting in one position for so long, and it hurts to move his head. 

Ciel shrugs, turning his head towards Sebastian. "Why are you asking now? You've never asked before." He slips a hand behind his head and yawns, "of course you can." The senior smiles and opens his mouth to respond, but Ciel's phone ringing cuts him off. He sighs heavily and picks it up, mouthing an apology to Sebastian. "Hello?" He shifts, good eye narrowing. "Slow down, Ronald, wh- he's leaving? As in leaving Japan? Right now?!" Ciel pulls the phone away from his ear and turns it on speakerphone. "Say that again."

"Will says that he's going back to Venice!"

Sebastian's brows draw upwards in surprise. "What?"

Ronald's words come up hurried, hardly understandable. "He's - he's backing out, he doesn't want to race you! He said that was going to the airport right now, at Narita. I'm pretty sure that he knows that Aleister and I are working with you guys." There is a slight grunt from Sebastian's side as he puts the car in reverse, and then back in drive, tires screeching as he pulls out into the street, eyes narrowed. 

"We're on our way, Ronald," he says, grabbing the phone from Ciel's slim fingers - perhaps more roughly than he thought, because the smaller male makes a small mewl of pain. "I'll stop him - I'll make him stay. What a slimy little coward," he bites, eyes cutting across the street. 

"Easy, dear," Ciel teases, taking the phone back. He presses it to his ear, looking out the window. "We'll get him, Ronald. When I told you to put your loyalties with me, I didn't plan on letting you down. I won't let all of this be for naught." Sebastian pulls into another lane without his turn signal, earning many angry honks from surrounding cars. "You did say Narita right? Sebastian - take a left, it's faster that way. Yes, I promise we'll get him. Yes, tell Chamber. Yes. Goodbye, Ronald." Ciel hangs up and lenas back in his seat, looking at Sebastian. "What are you playing at? Floor it."

The senior smirks and turns the radio on, allowing something with a booming bass to fill the car. "Just waiting for you to finish." He slams the gas pedal to the ground and maneuvers around sleepy little Suburbans and paint flecked Fords, running three red lights before hooking a u-turn and streaking into the airport's parking lot. Security guards wave their arms as Sebastian and Ciel both get out of the car and run towards the entrance.

"Ronald said he'd be at Terminal 5," Ciel says as he tries to grab onto Sebastian's wrist in order to keep up. "Said his flight left at thirty past midnight."

Sebastian tugs him along, through the throngs of night owls waiting for their flights. It's much different than it had been at five in the morning, before they'd left for France. They had been different: two beings, sitting side by side with unspoken emotions between them. And now, now they're running through the same airport, hand in hand, the same entity. 

"There it is!" Sebastian all but shouts, pointing at the sign above the gate. 

"There he is," Ciel wheezes, movements slightly slowing. 

Will stands by the window with his suitcase and boarding pass, a devilish smirk on his face as he turns to face the duo. "So, I guess someone told you about my little plan - I wonder who it could've been? Probably Knox, the little fox he is. My flight leaves in less than an hour, so you'd better give me a good incentive to stay."

Ciel slumps into one of the chairs, trying to catch his breath. 

"You're... scared," he pants, rummaging around in his coat pocket for a small plastic rectangle: his inhaler. 

Sebastian grits his teeth, facing Will. "Why are you leaving? You said you'd race me, in two weeks you said you'd race me. You can't just back out, Will." His lips twitch angrily. "Or are you really that intimidated by me?"

An ugly sounding scoff comes from Will's lips, which are oddly red and chapped. "Intimidated? By _you_? Please, I've hit deer that are scarier than you - you're still just a nobody. You act as if you have this whole legend to protect, like you're rolling in fame and glory as the result of your _marvelous_ racing." He steps closer to Sebastian, mouth pulled into a snarl. "You're pathetic. You and I both know that you're _nothing_ compared to me. No one is singing your praises, or betting on you for that matter. You can't get any other competition, which is why you're begging me to race you." He tilts his head, glasses glinting in the fluorescent overhead lights. "On any other occasion, I'd love to hear you beg - but not for this. Why don't you just forget this whole thing, Sebastian, huh? Just give up."

Crimson eyes go wide and Sebastian straightens up, body stretching to take up space. "Should I forget about your embezzlement scheme? Should I - should I forget about how you paid people to break into Ciel's apartment?" His brows go high and he starts laughing, arms outstretched. "I'm not forgetting any of this! If you leave, I'll go to the police. I know all about your investment fraud, I know all about everything." 

"You do that, and you're _dead_ ," Will snaps, voice lowering to a husky timbre. "I will end you."

"Funny, at least three people have told me that and I'm still here," Sebastian returns, dropping his arms. "I'm not afraid of you. If you haven't noticed, I'm not the one leaving Japan. It's rumored that you went to Venice to race, but there aren't that many roads there, right?" He allows his mouth to tug up at the corners. "Were you racing gondolas?"

From behind them, Ciel gives a tired sounding snort.

Will's eyes narrow into gem green slits, absolutely dangerous. "You don't know who you're fucking with. I'd stop if I were you."

"I don't think you should talk to me like that, seeing as I know everything about you." 

The bespectacled man glances at his watch: it's almost 12. 

"What can I do to get you to shut up and leave me alone?" Will deadpans, brows cocked.

"You already know the answer to that," Sebastian retorts, slipping his arms behind his head. "Of course, you don't _have_ to race me. You can always go to Venice, and I'll just go straight to the police."

Will shakes his head. "You wouldn't do that. You're too much of a coward. All you're going to do is threaten me and then not do anything about it."

Sebastian looks at Ciel, who is practically beaming. His legs are crossed at the knee, and his arms are spread out against the backs of the either chair beside him. "I don't lie and I don't break promises," he says, eyes returning to Will. "Everything I've said to you hasn't been a threat, it's been a promise." He sticks his hands in his pockets and shrugs. "If you won't race me, that's fine. Go back to gondola racing in Venice, with all your Venetian monks. I suppose what you do in your free time has no meaning to me. However, if you'd like to race me, you know where to find me."

He moves towards Ciel, who stands and holds onto Sebastian's sleeve. "I'll give you a day - if you want to race me, call me. Ronald has my number. If you don't call me in a day, I'll just assume that you went to Venice and I'll contact the authorities." 

"You're such a bastard-"

Sebastian turns and grabs Will by the front of his shirt, teeth bared. " _I'm_ a bastard? _You're_ the bastard. Race me and you'll see that I'm better than you. One day, Will. Take it or leave it." He steps backwards and looks at Ciel, a small smile on his face. "Ready to go?"

The smallest of the three nods and moves to follow an already leaving Sebastian, but stops and faces Will once more.

"Checkmate." 


	20. Itami

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clutch time plus spying on Will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> friendly reminder that this fic ends in a few chapters :(( its been a wild, occasionally disappointing, and overall amazing ride that i'm so glad people joined me on. it really means a lot. i hope you'll all stick around until the end.
> 
> ps sorry this took so long to get out - school sucks.
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

"Your apartment is so cute," Chamber comments from the couch he occupies, one arm draped across Ronald's shoulders. "It's so bright and chic - very modern." He raises his hand to gently comb ringed fingers through Ronald's hair. Ciel gives a small smile and brings them each a cup of tea before perching on the arm of the chair that Sebastian sits in. 

It's been nearly two weeks since the run in at the airport, and nearly two weeks since Will had accepted the 'one day' offer, begrudgingly of course. 

"I'm sorry that Will found out about what we were doing," he says in a gentle manner, head tilted slightly. "I didn't mean for him to find out."

Chamber sips at the tea and flaps a hand at Ciel. "It's fine, darling. He would've found out one way or another, so I'm glad it was before things got too involved." His pale eyes cut to Sebastian. "And you, are you scared about racing him? He seemed serious this time, you know."

"I'm well aware," Sebastian confirms, nodding his head. "I'm ready to race him again. I can do it this time, and I won't let anything or anyone get in my way."

Ciel squeezes the back of his neck comfortingly and they look at one another. "Take it easy, all right? I don't want you to overwork yourself." He takes Sebastian's hand in his own. "They're still all calloused - do they hurt?"

Sebastian smiles and leans in for a small kiss, which elicits a small squeak from Chamber. "They're fine, love, thank you."

"You two are so adorable together," he coos, glancing at Ronald. "Don't you think so?"

"I guess so," the other male replies, leaning forward for his tea. "I think you're adorable." 

Chamber hums as he smiles, pressing his face against Ronald's shoulder. Ciel shifts on the arm of the chair minutely, looking at them. "So, if you don't mind me asking, how did the two of you... end up like this? Chamber, I thought you were one of the biggest playboys in all of Japan. And Ronald, you only cared about money."  

"Good question, Phantomhive," Ronald says, squeezing Chamber's hand. "I did care about money; now I care about Aleister. How did you and Sebastian end up like this? From what I remember, you couldn't care less for racing." 

Sebastian doesn't look at Ciel, who gives a demure smile that doesn't reach his eyes. 

"You're right, I didn't. I found it mundane, insufferable. Every time Alois made me tag along to a little back alley, or an abandoned street to see people race perfectly good cars - I found it a waste of time. That was until he started racing." Ciel motions to Sebastian with the nod of his head. "Things change when you find people you love, people you truly care about." 

Sebastian clears his throat, garnet eyes focused on the table. "From a friend's perspective - no, from a racer's perspective: Chamber, do you think I can beat him? I want your completely honest, professional opinion. I want you to tell me if you think I can beat Will or not."

Chamber sits up, turning his eyes to Sebastian. "You want my opinion?"

"As someone who has raced me before, I want you to tell me, based off of your experience with my racing, if I can beat Will."

Not a second passes before Chamber answers, giving a nod. "I do, absolutely. Your skills have increased nearly tenfold since you first raced me." He smiles kindly, displaying ivory teeth. Before Sebastian can respond, Ronald raises a lazy hand.

"You can win, Michaelis. Will? He's completely clocked out. Not training, not fixing his car, nothing. To be completely honest, I don't even think he fuckin' cares. I don't think he sees you as a threat anymore. I think Will is more tired than anything. He's positive he'll win; he's so sure of himself." Ronald pulls off his glasses and rubs at his eyes. "Trust me, you can win."

Ciel's lithe body has stiffened and straightened up on the arm of the chair; if he had ears like a cat, they would have most certainly pointed towards Ronald. 

"Excuse me?" His legs part minutely before he recrosses them. "How do you know what Will is or is not doing?" 

Ronald looks at Ciel, right eyebrow raised. "There are cameras in his house. I used to basically run security for him a few years back. The guy is actually super paranoid about stuff like that. He's got cameras in his bedroom, in his garage, even in his bathroom." The bespectacled blond sinks into the couch, arms behind his head. "I used to think he was crazy, but then I just stopped questioning it." 

Blue meets red and Ciel leaps from the arm of the chair to stand beside Ronald. "Can you - can you still see into his house? Are those cameras still active?"

"Probably. All of my computers are still hooked up to the software; I can pretty much run his house from mine." Ronald's green eyes fix Ciel's good one. "Would you like to see it?"

"I do," Ciel says, straightening up, "there are some things that I have to confirm - the whole embezzlement thing, for one."

Sebastian blinks a few times, head tilted towards the three near the couch. He'd nearly forgotten about the night, the one he'd stayed up, thumbing through old magazines and newspapers to pin something to Will. Ciel looks at ease while talking to Ronald and Chamber, his shoulders pulled back into proper posture.

"Embezzlement? Whassat?"

"Misappropriation of funds," Ciel says in a way that slides right off his tongue. "Meaning, Will is basically stealing money from people, business, and the like."

Ronald and Chamber exchange glances. "Well, then yeah, he does that. How'd you think he ended up in Sendegaya? He's fucking loaded," Ronald stresses, sitting up straight. "Like, Will has more money than he knows what to do with probably." His eyebrows dance above the frames of his glasses. "Do you wanna see it? I have a really sweet set-up. I actually don't live too far from here. Maybe thirty minutes?"

Sebastian takes Ronald's hands in his house, brows drawn in sincerity. "Please, I'd like that very much." 

The blond grins and stands, tugging Chamber up with him. "Well boys, looks like we've got some driving to do."

-

Ronald's house is actually an hour away, but no one complains. They all climb into the 2014 SRT Viper that had been parked outside Ciel's apartment, with Sebastian in the driver's seat, Ciel in the passenger seat, and Ronald and Chamber in the backseat. The car is much flashier than Ciel's usual tastes: painted a neon orange that is nearly even too gaudy for Chamber. It is quiet and stealthy, like a jungle cat stalking its prey.

"How long have you known Will?" Sebastian asks as he follows the GPS' instructions to Ronald's house in Kamakura.

The bespectacled blond in the back makes a grunting noise, one arm around Chamber's waist. "Dunno. I knew him before he started racing, that's for sure. Maybe high school? It's been a while, kid." He shifts, knees rubbing against the back of Ciel's seat. The junior glances at him in the side mirror, brows furrowed. 

"What was he like, back then?" Ciel twists in his seat, struggling against the triangle embrace of the belt. He nearly considers taking it off, but the flash in Sebastian's eyes tell him that that is a bad idea. "I want to know what he was like. Did he plan things out? Was he methodical and twisted?"

Ronald scoffs and sits up, holding onto Chamber's hand. "Uh, no - he was just a regular kid. He was in band and had these big dorky glasses and used to get bullied a lot. I stepped in one day when these kids from the basketball team were picking on him, and we just kinda became friends, y'know?" He sniffs, turns his head into Chamber's shoulder. 

From his peripheral vision, Ciel can see Sebastian tense up slightly, his shoulders going rigid. The smaller male rests his hand on the center console and Sebastian takes it, smiling gently. "Thanks," he murmurs so only Ciel can hear, and the other boy nods.

"But after he got kicked out of college, Will -"

"Excuse me," Ciel interrupts, suddenly interested again. "He was kicked out of college? How? What did he do? What was he majoring in?"

Chamber makes a small noise in his throat. "Will was?"

Ronald yawns, putting his free arm behind his head. "Oh yeah, it was a huge thing. He went to Keio for law, and in his second year, the dean found out that all his money for tuition wasn't his - money laundry, or something. Big deal. He showed up at my apartment the night it all went down; his dad nearly killed him."

"Will was into money laundering in college? How - how old are you as a sophomore in college? At least 20?" Ciel turns in his seat again, mouth split into a smile. "He's been extorting money for this long - can you believe that?" He sits back down when Sebastian tugs at his hand. "Sebastian, you were right this whole time. You were always right about Will." Ciel glances down at the floorboard. "I'm sorry I tried to brush it off, I just thought they were your delirious ramblings. I sent Nina to go spy on Will once, but she never found anything - nothing she pin him to." He shakes his head. "I'm sorry."

Sebastian turns right on a street and shakes his head. "No need to apologize, you didn't know. I would've thought I was crazy too, if I were you." He squeezes Ciel's hand. "We'll get him, now that we know what we do. We'll get him." They coast through a neighborhood and stop in front of a large house that Ronald points out.

"It's this one," he says, motioning to the large brick and glass house.

Chamber makes a cooing sound, straining to get a better look as Sebastian parks in its driveway. "How did you buy a house like this? It's beautiful." He unbuckles his seat belt and jumps out of the car, arms outstretched. "So pretty."

Ronald hooks his thumbs into the pockets of his slacks. "You can buy a lot of things when you used to be in a bunch of gangs and numerous people are afraid of you." He fishes out a set of keys and ushers the others up to the front door, unlocking it and pushing them all inside. "The monitor room is upstairs, third door on the left."

Ciel pulls off his shoes, per tradition, and steps into the large living room, which is decked out with a large studio couch, a flat screen television, a few armchairs, and a rough cut glass coffee table. He makes a small noise of indifference. A wrought iron spiral staircase leads them to the second floor, and a cleanly carpeted hallway leads them to the third door on the left.

It looks like something out a horror movie: a large desk set up with four different computers, a black box for God knows what with a tiny control panel atop it. Each computer screen has four separate sections, each one showing a different part of Will's house. 

Ronald sits down in the fold-out lawn chair in front of the table and motions to the control panel. "I can turn off his lights, close or open his garage door, and unlock his house doors all from this little box. It's sort of like one of those home security systems, but instead of a bunch of FBI agents running it, it's just me." He thumbs through the screens by pressing a button and points at one of them. "This is his garage."

From the screen, Ciel can tell that it's a large room - maybe not as big as his own personal garage, but still spacey. He leans froward to get a better look. "Are all the cars he owns Lamborghinis? Ridiculous; I never knew he was a man of such little taste."

"Are you saying that Lamborghini is a car of little taste?" Sebastian inquires, a smile in his voice.

Ciel shakes his head and reels back. "Of course not - but as a racer, you must have more than one kind of car at your expense. You've seen my garage; I don't just have one make of car. I'm not saying that having a favorite brand is bad, but - owning multiple gives you all different forms of racing. Will is a tactile racer. He relies on his car to snake through the obstacles of his course, and _that_ is bad. As a racer, you must rely on yourself, as well as the car. It's a package deal. You become one, rather than just two separate things." He returns his attention to the screens. "Where is Will right now?"

Ronald flips through the screens again, only finding empty rooms. "Dunno, I guess he's not home." He sighs and leans back, arms behind his head. "You're going to be just fine, Sebastian. Where are you racing him again?"

"The Lower Level, near 109."

Chamber tilts his head in confusion. "The old parking garage? Why're you racing there?"

"It was the first place he ever raced," Ciel explains, perching on the sturdy wooden table. "It was the place where this whole thing got started." He crosses his thin legs at the ankle and drums his fingers against the table's top. "If Will doesn't take this seriously, I'm going to be very upset."

Sebastian smiles and looks at him. "Easy, kitten."

As soon as the petname is out of his mouth, Ciel colors considerably darker than normal, red flooding from his ears to his chest. Chamber snickers between his fingers, and Ronald whistles lowly. 

"You guys are kinky, huh?"

Ciel shoves at Sebastian's shoulder. "You giant freak!" - and then to Ronald - "we are not!" 

The fair-haired blond nudges at Ronald's shoulder. "Leave them alone, huh? Pay attention to your monitor thingies! Something's moving."

"They're not 'monitor thingies,' sweetheart," Ronald teases as he returns his attention to the screen that Chamber points at, which indeed shows movement. Will's image creeps through the kitchen, shedding pieces of his suit that are no longer necessary. He loosens his tie and tosses it on the island, jacket following after. The screen switches to show the living room that he crosses into, follows him as he slips into his bedroom and sits on the edge of the bed, a phone pressed to his ear.

Ciel leans in again. "Who's he calling?"

Ronald presses a finger to his lips and fiddles with the volume dial. "Listen."

All four are silent as Will stands up and moves to the window, shouldering the phone while he opens the curtains. "It's me," he says, looking through the glass. "Yes, I'm well aware of that fact - you think I don't know that they've been on my tail?" Will steps away from the window, brows furrowed at the person on the other end's response. "I don't care, Grell! I don't care about the race. I just want them off of my tracks. Do whate- excuse me?" His shoulders seem to stretch with anger and there is a tension so palpable the others can feel it through the monitor. "So, you two also plan to betray me, I see. That's fine - just know that you've been added to my list of enemies. I'd watch your back if I were you." He pulls the phone from his ear, studies it for a moment, and then pulls his arm back like he's skipping a stone and throws it against the wall.

Ciel watches, wide eyed, as the phone explodes into a series of tiny pieces. 

Ronald laughs out loud, standing up and holding his stomach. "Does he - does he really think he's intimidating?" He takes a deep, shuddering breath and allows his voice to lower in resonance. "'I'd watch your back if I were you,' can you believe that?! Absolutely fuckin' incredible, I can't believe him!" He cackles loudly and has to take a moment to regroup and calm down. 

"He broke his phone," Sebastian comments, "who does that?"

Ciel cracks a small smile. "He truly doesn't care about the race - perhaps I will have to entice him."

Sebastian shakes his head. "Don't do anything like that. We only have two days left, I should still be practicing." 

"Practicing?" Ronald asks, head tilted. "How many times have you run through the course? If it's been more than ten times, you should really give it a rest - y'know, save your strength. It's sort of like being in a gang: if you run through a fight too many times beforehand, it's a bust when you go through with it." He stretches his arms up over his head and yawns, leaving Sebastian and Ciel to look at the other.

For a moment, neither of them speak, and the room is filled with an awkward tension.

The junior rocks from foot to foot and nudges Sebastian. "Maybe he's right. Maybe you should rest or something. I don't want to put so much stress on your body that it gives out before the race. Just relax, okay?" He slips his fingers around Sebastian's wrist, ice cold and slender. "We can just go home if you want to."

Ronald clears his throat and the two turn to see him pointing at one of the screens. "I don't mean to interrupt this cute little moment, but someone else is at Will's house."

"Who?" Ciel retakes his place in front of the monitor that Ronald singled out and squints, rubbing at his good eye. 

Will opens the front door and steps backwards, allowing a very familiar figure to step in. 

Sebastian hits Ciel's shoulder, stronger than he intended, out of shock and they look at each other. "Isn't that the guy from uh -" he pauses, hand to his forehead, "Dogenzaka? That creepy guy, the one that made you make him laugh."

"It's Undertaker," Ciel confirms in a quiet voice, taking a step back. "Why is he there? How - how does he know Will?"

Ronald looks from the screen to Ciel in quick succession. "That old guy? I'm pretty sure he's the one who got Will into racing - he kind of, like, trained him or something. I don't really remember - it was after he got kicked out of school. He always hung around Will; I thought he was a sugar daddy for a while, like I thought that's where Will was getting his money from." He shrugs, puts his arms behind his head again.

Something twitches in Ciel's chest - some sort of betrayal. It's heavy and threatens to rise up in his throat, but he swallows the lemonade tasting anger back down and watches the screen. He's known Undertaker for as long as he can remember; he never expected something like this.

Sebastian puts a hand against the nape of Ciel's neck and squeezes gently, a comforting weight. "You okay?"

"Better," Ciel responds, leaning into the touch. "I just... I never thought they'd be working together."

Chamber groans loudly, rubbing his hands against his temples. "I know him, I swear I do! I've seen him somewhere before... I just can't remember where."

"How do you forget someone that looks like that?" Sebastian mutters under his breath, coaxing a small laugh out of Ciel. _He looks good when he smiles_ , the senior thinks, and for a second he wants to kiss him impulsively, wants to make Ciel shudder under his touch. He swallows, trying to banish the thought from his mind.

Chamber sits on the floor, head resting against Ronald's legs as he makes a loud whining sound. "I wish I could remember where I've seen him before."

"Just take it easy, baby," Ronald says, stroking Chamber's hair. "Don't strain yourself."

A good ten minutes of them all chattering pass, until Chamber shoots up from the floor, nearly whacking his head open on the table. "I remember now! Ciel, you remember the party that I invited you to, correct? The one were you wore the dress and then - well, you know... Anyway! When Sebastian left, I was trying to sneak out without attracting any attention to myself, and I got out, thankfully. I kind of went on the run for a few days, and that's when I met that old guy!" His arms are outstretched and the silent three look at one another.

"But how did you meet him?" Ciel asks, mouth quirked.

"Oh, yeah. Well, when I was headed down to that bathhouse in Osaka, I got a flat tire. I sat on the side of the road, waiting for someone to come along, until this creepy old Hearse showed up. I thought I was gonna get robbed or something, but then that guy got out of the car, made me make him laugh, and then fixed my tire. He said something about a lord - maybe he was religious? I dunno. But then he left. It was weird."  

Sebastian squints minutely, brows knitting. "Lord... did he say 'little lord'?"

Chamber snaps his fingers and points almost comically at Sebastian. "He did! Something about watching him, maybe following him? I'm not really sure; it was something along those lines."

"Wait - Undertaker is following me? Or watching me, whatever." Ciel presses his index and middle fingers to the spot between his eyebrows in confusion. "Why me? Why would he want to be following me?"

"Or watching," Ronald interjects, fiddling with the control panel. "Dunno. They aren't saying anything; they're just watching something on TV." He motions to the screen where Will and Undertaker are shown sitting side by side on one of the couches. "Maybe he is a sugar daddy. Maybe they're together."

Ciel makes a disgusted noise in his throat. "Undertaker is _not_ a sugar daddy, and they are _not_ together. Maybe Will paid him to follow me."

Sebastian flicks through the screens. "Maybe Undertaker is like his backup backup?" He pauses on the screen for the garage and leans forward. "That car... isn't a Lamborghini, or a Hearse." Ciel leans forward, and the others copy him. "Is that a-

"A Q80?" Ciel all but gushes, hand on Ronald's shoulder as he leans in even closer to get a better look. "Those aren't even available yet; how did he get one? God, look how sleek it is - it's basically streamlined." He steps back and faces Sebastian. "That car is said to have 550 HP, maybe even higher if it's souped up, plus they've been dabbling with the autonomous driving. I mean, sure, it's just a V6 with a 3.0 liter engine, but given his skills, Will could dominate with that." Ciel pats at his pocket and pulls out his cellphone, pressing it to his ear as he turns away.

"Who's he calling?" Ronald asks. 

Sebastian shrugs, and they all fall silent to listen to the conversation.

"Finny, it's me. Yes, I know. Did he? Okay - I need to research something for me." He pauses and nods slowly. "Ready? Okay, look up everything about the new Q80. Yeah, I know it's not out yet, but Will has one. Not sure how. Yeah. Tell Bard to hurry up with the Jaguar as well, okay? Yes, Finny. Thank you." He hangs up and pockets the phone. 

The senior is smiling at Ciel when he's facing them again, making the smaller male grimace. "What's with you?"

"You called him 'Finny.' You usually call him 'Finnian'- Bard too. You never call him that, it's always 'Baldroy'. What's gotten into you?"

Ciel crosses his arms, head turned away. "Nothing, I'm just - just trying to be more casual with them. Like the way you are." He glances at the ground. "I want to be more like their friend, rather than just their boss." A hand on his head catches him off guard, and Ciel glares at Sebastian when he pulls it away.

"They already think of you as a friend, Ciel. Bard, Finny, and Mey-rin all love you, they care about you. They consider you part of the Funtom family. They told me, when I first asked you out, that they'd go to any lengths to protect you because you were like family to them. It's almost as if they had no one else in the world until you came along - that's how greatly they think of you, Ciel." Sebastian takes both of Ciel's hands. "And I would do the same; I want you to be safe and taken care of. It would be an honor to take care of you the way that they do."

Red colors Ciel's cheeks as he tries to pull out of the hold. "L-let me go!" Chamber and Ronald laugh loudly, making Ciel go even darker in color, tugging harder at Sebastian's hand. "You - you big freak! Let me go! I want to go home!"

"Fine, fine," Sebastian says in a placating manner, releasing only one hand, "but we're going home together."


	21. Kokkaku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there are probably one-two chapters left if i can plan this out right! going into this, i never would've expected that it would come this far and that i would receive such warm welcomes. i'm really glad that so many people like this and i can't thank you guys enough.
> 
> i tried to make this a nice, short lil chapter to balance out the crushing seriousness of the next and potentially last, have fun.
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

"How many times have I seen this image before?" Sebastian says as he stands in front of the Jaguar that Bard has rolled himself beneath, hands on his hips. "You really do too much for me, Bard, you're so considerate." 

The blond reaches for something in his tool kit and scoots further beneath the car, head disappearing from view. "I'm doing it because it's my job, big guy. I just want you to win and make the boss happy, y'know? His happiness is basically my paycheck." He grunts and then slides back out from underneath the car, fingertips black with grease. "So, what are you here for, big guy?"

Sebastian shrugs. "I didn't have anywhere else to go. Ciel went to a meeting about the future of Funtom, so I figured I would just crash here for the time being." He looks around the strangely empty garage inquisitively. Where is everybody else?"

"Busy," Bard says as he wipes his hands off on a rag that is just as filthy. "Finny's at some weird computer convention in Akiba, and Mey-rin is studying for a math test." His shoulders slump and he leans against a table that is laden with tools. 

The black haired senior's lips turn up into a sneer and he circles around the car, back to Bard. "Speaking of Mey-rin... have you told her that you like her?"

Metal tools crash to the floor when Bard's elbow slips off the table, sending a wave of laughter through Sebastian. The buff blond scrambles to his feet, neck beet red. "Me? Like Mey? Come on, Sebastian - let's get serious here. I've known Mey since... since I came here. I mean, she helped me get through class and taught me basically all of the Japanese that I know. She's kind of like my sister." He glances at the floor and shudders. "Okay, no. Not sister, definitely not my sister." 

Sebastian clears his throat as Bard bends down to pick up the fallen tools. "Look, Bard, I understand. Dealing with your emotions is always a weird thing, especially when they're for someone that's helped you out with things and has done something for you - I should know. I never expected to fall for Ciel, just like you never expected to fall for Mey-rin. And don't try to deny that you like her, because Finny and I have already pulled bets and right now, it's 6-0." He pats Bard on the back. "It's okay to be scared, man. That's how lots of things start, and how lots of things fall into your life." Sebastian smiles softly as the blond stands back up and replaces the tools. "That first night at the parking garage, I was terrified. I had never raced for money before, and I was scared out of my mind."

Bard faces him, mouth quirked. "You were scared?"

"God, I was. A bunch of people crammed into a concrete garage all betting money on _me_ , what a horrifying idea. I was even more scared when Ciel said I could borrow his car. I kept thinking about how small he was and how straightforward he was, and I was terrified. But if I hadn't done it, if I hadn't taken his car, or even the chance of racing, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now, would we?" He sighs and pats the hood of the Jaguar almost tenderly. "This whole experience has changed my life in so many ways. I'm actually so glad that I came to Japan." Sebastian pauses and coughs sheepishly; his face colors. "Not that I had a choice, exactly."

He rubs at the back of his neck. "I just feel like it will all be over once I've raced Will again, y'know? I mean, I'm on good terms with basically everyone that I was up against. It's like racing Will ends the whole thing." Sebastian's eyes meet Bard's. "I really don't want it to be the end."

"Come on, Sebastian," Bard says with a laugh, "it's not the end. There's a whole world around us - Shibuya is just one place. If you and Boss decide to go somewhere after you're done racing here, then so be it. I don't know about the others, but I owe Ciel a lot. I'd follow him anywhere if he told me to. I'll support you until you quit racing, and even after then, I'll still support you with whatever you want to do." He leans over and squeezes Sebastian's bicep. "It'll all turn out fine, you'll see."

The duo both look towards the garage door pulls up, revealing Ciel. He's dressed in a thin cotton shirt that is open at the throat, and a pair of dark jeans. 

Bard pats Sebastian on the shoulder twice, "good luck, buddy," and darts away to a higher level of the garage with his tool box in tow.

"Welcome back," Sebastian says as he presses a hand into Ciel's hair, scratching his fingers against the junior's scalp. The smaller male sighs and presses into the touch, eyes closed. "Did the meeting go well?"

"Fairly well," Ciel mewls, nearly stretching up into the tips of Sebastian's fingers, desperate to get the senior's blunt nails against his skin. "That feels really good," he comments, hips making the smallest of aborted movements. "Did you - ah - get anything done around here while I was gone?"

Sebastian makes a humming noise, slowing the scalp-scratching motions to a near twitch, making Ciel writhe under his touch. "Bard's officially done with the Jaguar," he says, pulling his fingers out of Ciel's hair, eliciting a low whine from the smaller male. "Tomorrow's the big day - I have to be ready for anything."

"We could go to the LL, if you'd like." Ciel has given up on getting Sebastian's fingers back into his hair, and has instead perched on the table that houses Bard's tools, legs crossed at the knee. "Except, I suppose that would be a little taboo - like seeing a bride before the wedding. I just want you to do well. I know how much this means to you." He shifts nervously against the cool metal and looks at Sebastian, fiddling with his fingers. "What are you going to do after you race Will? Are you going to keep racing or are you going to stop?"

Wine colored eyes dart up to meet Ciel's, wide and unblinking. "I was just talking to Bard about this; I'm not sure. I don't think I'm going to go anywhere. But if I did, I wouldn't want to be anywhere without you. If I left, I would want you to come with me. You're the cause of all this - I'd like you to be the end, too. I'd like you to see it through to the end." Sebastian shifts, a weak smile on his face. If Ciel didn't know him better, didn't know him in quiet, carnal ways, he would've thought Sebastian was afraid. He slides off the table and moves to Sebastian, slipping his arms around the senior's middle.

"I love you," Ciel murmurs, and sighs when Sebastian's chin meets the top of his head. "I'd do anywhere with you. I know that you're nervous, but I promise that you're going to do just fine tomorrow. You'll see. I'll support you even if something goes wrong." He snuggles in against Sebastian's chest, eyes closed. "You're so warm. I could live here, if given the chance."

Sebastian chuckles, a deep sound that rumbles against the smaller male's ear. "You already do," he responds, one hand sliding up to stroke Ciel's hair soothingly, slowly. "Thank you."

Ciel pulls away minutely to look at Sebastian, visible eye wide. "For what?"

"For everything. Without you, I wouldn't be here - we wouldn't be doing any of this. I'd probably still be hating my father and thinking about stealing cars. But now, all I think about is you and cars. I'm so thankful, Ciel." The senior smiles and presses his lips to Ciel's forehead. "I'm indebted to you."

There is pause - Ciel's face is bright red, the color dripping down his throat and into his chest. He looks at the floor, shoulders tense. He's embarrassed, which Sebastian finds to be the most endearing thing he's ever seen in his entire life. 

"You - you're so embarrassing," Ciel whispers, still looking down at the ground. "B-but I suppose you are right - so, you're welcome. It's been an honor working with you. You always manage to surprise me." He slips his fingers through Sebastian and steps away, leading him backwards at arm's length. "Would you like to go back to my place? To get your mind off of the race - put you at ease?"

The senior smiles and allows himself to be pulled at. "You little minx, nothing would please me more."

Ciel returns the smile and opens the garage door, hands behind his back as he walks impishly outside. "Shall we then?"


	22. Tōketsu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final race, and a new beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well! i hope you all enjoy the last chapter of bld. it's been wild. i love you all.
> 
> enjoy
> 
> much love xoxo

The Lower Level, or LL, is the sturdy concrete skeleton of a parking garage nestled beside an abandoned shopping mall within the 109 center, on the avenue before the road stretches down onto Harajuku, Omotesandou, and Sendagaya. It had long since been transformed into a popular hangout spot for the disaffected youth to drag race and host off-the-record fist fights for bets and money.

It's much quieter than the first night, the night everything started. There is no promise of a starting fistfight, but nearly a thousand people have shown up, each putting in up to a hundred dollars into Alois' signature metal box, making the stakes even higher as well.

Ciel sits perched on a concrete support wall, legs crossed at the ankles. He's been surveying the scene for nearly half an hour, scoping out any sort of potential issues with the track, or with the weather. He made Bard run over the Jaguar one last time before allowing Sebastian to drive it out and wait. He's nervous, nearly painfully so, and had to sit down to keep from pacing. 

When Will's green Lamborghini slips into the center to sidle up beside Sebastian's car, stalling for a second before cutting off, nothing happens. He does not get out, rather just sits in his car.

Ciel grimaces, and is about to get out and smash Will's windows in when his phone rings. It's Ronald.

"Hello?" he says, pressing the phone to his ear, still watching Will's car.

Ronald's breathing is slightly loud in the speaker, and Ciel has to pull the phone away for a second before the other male starts to speak. "Will bought a one way ticket to Venice last night. There's no partner ticket and no return flight. I thought I should tell you, before it was too late."

Ciel nearly slips off of the wall, eyes narrowing. "That snake! How dare he plan to get away behind our backs?!" His jaw sets in a way that is unfriendly but not wholly intimidating. "I will handle this, Ronald. Just... try to cancel his ticket if you can, all right?"

"Can do," Ronald quips, and as soon as he hangs up, Ciel is already dialing another number. It belongs to someone that isn't not very fond of him, per se, but has sworn to uphold the safety of the public, and had once promised a favor to Ciel, one he intends to cash in.

The phone rings for a second, and then someone picks up. "Arthur Randall, police commissioner. How can I help you?"

"Randall," Ciel sniffs, skipping all formalities, "do you remember promising me one favor, after my father died?" 

On the other line, there is a huff. Arthur Randall is not a patient man: broad shouldered and tall, he is anything but small. His sideburns come down to an angle adjacent to the corners of his mouth, typically raising eyebrows. He has a history of bad temper and a past with drinking, which has only disappeared slightly as a result of joining the Tokyo police agency. "Unfortunately, yes, I do. What do you need?"

Ciel smiles, humming into the phone. "It's not so much what I need, but what you need." He rolls his shoulders back, straightening up at the hitch in Randall's breathing. "I happen to be in close proximity of someone you would really like to get your hands on," Ciel continues before Randall has a chance to interrupt. "Does the name William Spears sound familiar to you?"

"Money laundering, investment and identity fraud - yes, painfully familiar. Where is he?"

The junior hums into the phone, puffing his cheeks out almost childishly. "I wonder," he purrs, an impish smile on his face. "We're actually in the middle of something right now, Randall, and having you butt in would really ruin everything I've worked so hard for." Ciel's eyes lid heavily, making him appear positively deadly to anyone nearby. "Don't come until I call you," he says with a finality to his voice that is cold and bitter. "I'll tell you where we are after what's happening is over, and if you plan on coming before I tell you to, I will alert Will that you're on your way and he will immediately leave. He already has purchased a ticket to Venice with no signs of returning." 

Ciel jumps from the concrete wall and shoulders the phone, still watching Will's car through squinted eyes. 

"You're exactly like your father," Randall hisses, teeth grit. "You're doomed to follow in his footsteps; your greed will be your undoing!"

There is a pause, and then Ciel laughs into the phone's speaker. "My greed, you say? Perhaps. But all I know for now is that you will come when I call. I throw the stick, and you fetch. Have a nice night, Randall." He hangs up, pockets the phone, and circles the Lamborghini, placing a well aimed kicked at the right rear tire before moving to Sebastian's open driver-side window, squatting down imperceptibly to look at him. "Are you scared?"

"Shitless," Sebastian answers in English, brain clearly too fried to even think of Japanese. His knuckles are stark white against the steering wheel and he flexes his fingers almost absentmindedly, not looking at Ciel.

The smaller male looks down at his own hands and twists the ring he always dons off of his thumb, staring longingly at it before holding it out to Sebastian. "I want you to wear this," he says when Sebastian's eyes meet his, and then Ciel clears his throat. "It's always served as a good luck charm for me, and I wanted it to do the same for you. I already know you're going to do well, but if I can give any sort of luck to you, I want you to have it."

He's rambling - he's fully aware of the fact that he's rambling, but Ciel can't help it. When Sebastian looks at him like that, with that much love in his eyes, Ciel's heart goes all dumb and gooey, and he feels like he may explode, or melt, or maybe an odd mixture of both - it's possibly the best feeling in the whole world.

"I love you," Sebastian says, taking the ring from Ciel's slim fingers. "No one's ever given me something like this. No one's ever supported me the way that you do, Ciel - I can't describe exactly how much I care for you, but God, is it a lot." He slips the ring on the middle finger of his left hand and looks at it for a second before returning those eyes to Ciel. "Do you remember when you asked me when I first started to like you?"

Ciel nods - his mouth is too dry for any verbal acknowledgement. 

"At the time, I said France, but I - I think it started much earlier than that." He looks at the clock for a split second: 6:30 is so close, Sebastian can nearly taste it. He gives his attention back to Ciel. "I think I was attracted to you from the get-go. Maybe it happened the first time we went to see Undertaker. Maybe it happened the first time I slept over at your apartment. Maybe I was just always drawn to you." Sebastian shrugs and shifts slightly to lean through the window and kiss Ciel, one that crushes their lips together, one that allows Sebastian to smell Ciel, to taste the slightest touch of his tongue. 

"I love you," Ciel murmurs before they part, his mouth still close to Sebastian's. "I know you'll do fine, trust me, you will." He pulls away from the car when Alois' appears from the shadows, circling his index finger above his head like a hawk, mouthing something that Ciel can't see. "It's time," he murmurs, patting the roof of the car affectionately. "I love you. Just try to relax. You'll be perfect. Don't think about anything else." Ciel shakes his head decisively. "It's just you and the car. You two are one, remember?"

Sebastian revs the engine, smiling, for good measure and then turns the radio on. A loud, heavily bass-themed sound spills out of the speakers and seems to shake the entire car. "I remember. I love you too."

Ciel steps away, rejoining with the four that have huddled together. Before Alois can speak to him, Ciel pulls out a thick wad of bills and crams it into the box. 

The blond smirks, laughing a little. "I thought you never bet, Phantomhive." 

"Haven't you always told me to bet big? I'm always up for a good race. I've never missed one and I've never said otherwise," he says, taking refuge against the concrete wall, beside Bard, who has been making weird faces at Mey-rin for nearly the whole duration since his arrival. 

Alois shifts anxiously, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "Is it time yet? This tension is fuckin' killing me." He doesn't wait for approval, simply walks over to the front of the cars and yells something indistinctly. Both drivers seem stunned, and the blond motions for someone else to come over: the purple haired girl that Ciel recognizes as Hannah, the usual officiant of the races at the LL. 

She motions to each racer with her hand as onlookers scramble for better seats. "Drivers ready?" 

Ciel can see Sebastian shift his rear view mirror, and Will stretch his arms out above his head. 

"On your marks!" Hannah raises her arms above her head, and then glances at Ciel, who nods approvingly. "GO!" she shouts, dropping her arms and turning around to see the two cars streak past her, all too reminiscent of the first night. 

Finny wraps his arms around himself, Mey-rin clings to Bard's side, and Ciel looks away. They're all scared, and Sebastian can see that as he whips past them, but he shouldn't be focused on that. He thinks only of the car under him, beneath his fingers, around him. He thinks only of the turns to the LL and of winning, of beating Will. 

There is a split second, however, that he stops thinking when Will's car veers out in front of his, absolutely serpentine. Sebastian grits his teeth, drawn back to the real world. He hates seeing the Lamborghini's taillights, hates being stuck behind Will. He swerves in an attempt to get around him, but is kept back behind him, pushing the Jaguar to its limits. 

From practice, he knows that this track should take less than a minute to pass through, but it feels like its taking forever. They aren't even at the top yet, are only struggling behind one another. It's a constant battle, a pit for first place. 

Sebastian finally manages to snake around Will's car and is nearly to the top, when the emerald green car cuts him off, slamming into the side of the Jaguar, jostling Sebastian around in his seat like a rag doll. He can hear people scream and groan and make noises of horror or disappoint or a mix of the two, and that upsets him for some reason - it's the same sound they'd made when he'd won his first race against Will. 

He presses down the gas and manages to squeeze out of the spot between the wall and the Lamborghini, pulling back in front to make it first to the curve. Sebastian streaks past Will and pays no attention to the teens and young adults that are all screaming their heads off, waving their fists in the air and pulling at their hair, all yelling in Japanese and English, all cheering _him_ on - him, not Will. Something swells in his chest, and Sebastian floors it when he sees Will in the rear view mirror. Even from the distance between them, he can see that the other man's eyes are positively venomous. 

Sebastian's fingers go tight against the steering wheel. He's so close to finishing, so close to the finish line, that he can actually see Ciel standing with the others, his back turned towards the track. The boy has something pressed to his face, and Sebastian can't exactly see what it is, but he can definitely see Will coming closer in the mirror.

" _You've forgotten who a driver's best friend is_ ," Sebastian can hear Will's voice say in the back of his mind, " _it_ _'s NOS_." 

The red buttons glint menacingly in the dim lighting of the LL, and Sebastian's fingers twitch nervously against them. He flips their covers up at the same time, glances in the rear view mirror, and slams the buttons down, sending him forward so quickly it forces his teeth together and his head back. The Lamborghini disappears behind him and in an instant, Sebastian is all alone.

He is first into the center of the LL's bottom level. 

People crow loudly, each congratulating one another and jumping around and screaming Sebastian's name. Mey-rin screams, loops her arms around Bard's neck, and kisses him square on the mouth in all of her excitement, leaving them both red faced and embarrassed. Finny picks Alois up and spins him around, much to the other blond's disapproval. Ciel gets a group hug from everyone else, making him laugh and squeeze back as hard as he can.

Sebastian does not get out of the car when Will's slides into spot beside his. The bespectacled man climbs out of the Lamborghini and pulls Sebastian's driver side door open before reaching inside and grabbing him by the collar, yanking him out of his seat forcefully and throwing him onto the ground. Near them, Ciel bristles, but Bard put a hand on his narrow shoulder, shaking his head.

"How did you beat me?!" he screams, motioning to himself. "I'm the best fucking driver in the whole goddamn world! You're a cheater, Michaelis! A dirty fucking cheater! I'll kill you, I'll kill you!" Will turns around to face the onlookers that have circled them, all looking surprised and disgruntled. "I'll kill all of you!" he shouts, veins sticking out of his neck. 

Off in the distance, there are beeps of sirens and flashing colors that send everyone scrambling, leaving only the six left. 

Will looks from side to side at the quickly emptying location and makes a move as if he's about to run for it, but on Ciel's command, Bard rockets forward and grabs him in a vice like grip. His arms are pinned to his side by Bard's brute strength, but his legs flail freely, making him look like a child throwing a temper tantrum. 

"Let go of me!" Will cries over the nearing sirens, continuing to squirm when the police cars drive into the LL, eyes wide and travelling circuits in his skull. "You set me up! Phantomhive, you bastard, you set me up!" 

When Randall gets out of the car, Ciel smiles thinly. "I didn't set you up. I only said that if you tried to leave, I would call the police. You may have raced Sebastian, but you still purchased a one-way ticket to Venice, didn't you? That's enough to violate our little agreement." He steps away from Will and turns towards Randall. "Here he is, as promised. I'm glad you waited, you're such a good listener." 

"Be that as it may, Phantomhive, are you running an illegal drag racing ring down here?" Randall motions to the two, angry policemen behind him, who quickly take Will from Bard and handcuff him, forcefully shoving him into the police car. He screams the whole way, cursing loudly and twisting his head to spit at them. 

Ciel tilts his head innocently. "I would never do that, sir. You must be mistaking me with someone else. Have a nice night," he says, dismissing Randall with a wave of his hand. The older man grumbles lowly before turning on his heel and walking back to the still glowing police car. 

Sebastian has not gotten up from his place on the floor, has just limply sat there, wide eyed. He has to be roused by the combined efforts of exuberant Finny, Mey-rin, and Bard. 

"You won!" Mey-rin cries, jumping up and down. "You actually beat Will this time; I knew you could do it - we all knew you could do it!" She begins to cry, just like last time, but out of pure happiness rather than sadness. Her shoulders shake and Bard moves to put a hand on the small of her back, glancing quickly at Sebastian.

The winning racer chuckles weakly, rubbing the back of his head. "Good job, big guy."

Ciel pushes past the others and slips his arms around Sebastian's waist, his head pressed into his chest. "I told you that you could do it. I knew that you could do it." He makes a small sound that mimics a cry almost, and he snuggles deeper against Sebastian's body. "I love you so much, I'm so proud of you." He sniffs and then pulls back to face Sebastian. "You've done so well."

Sebastian cups Ciel's face in his hands and gently strokes his cheeks. " _You've_  done so well, Ciel. You promised to make me the best racer in all of Japan, and even if I'm not entirely the best racer, I feel like I am. I beat Will. You helped me to beat him, you helped me to get this far, and I can't thank you enough for it." He kisses Ciel quickly and then they both rejoin the others.

During their little meeting, Ronald and Chamber showed up and are talking to Bard and Mey-rin, who are standing beside one another. Mey-rin's hands move around in exaggerated circles as she describes the last few seconds of the race. 

"It was crazy! Sebastian's car was all ' _boooom_ '! And then Will came behind him and started whining about him losing, and that he would kill everyone in the room, and then the police showed up and he got arrested and then you guys came," she concludes, rocking back and forth on her heels. 

Chamber and Ronald exchange confused, slightly amused glances, before looking to Sebastian and Ciel.

"Congrats, man. I told you that you could do it, and I'm never wrong," Ronald says, grunting lowly when Chamber digs an elbow into his side. "Okay - look, what I really mean to say is that I'm super proud of you." He shrugs, shaking his head in a noncommittal way. "I know we started off as enemies, but I'm really glad that I can call you one of my friends. You too, Ciel. I'm glad that we've really worked everything out."

Sebastian smiles and squeezes the back of Ciel's neck. "I'm also happy to call both of you my friends, but there's a few things I still haven't figured out."

Chamber tilts his head, resembling some type of previously perverted, lavender eyed dog. "What's that?"

"I still don't know what Undertaker was doing at Will's house, or whom the Q80 belonged to. I feel like there are so many things left unanswered about this whole situation." He sighs heavily and shrugs. "I suppose there's nothing we can do about it now."

Alois, who has been silent since the celebration ended, slips towards the front of the crowd, a familiar silver box in his hands. He rattles it around, catching everyone's attention. "Aren't we forgetting a little something? You really racked up a lot of bank today, huh?" The blond passes the box to Sebastian, who opens it and nearly chokes upon seeing the multitude of money inside.  

"Is this... all for me?" he asks, looking at Alois with wide eyes.

Alois sighs, lips curling into a sarcastic smile. "Are you really going to ask that every time you win? Of course it's all for you - you won, didn't you?" He turns towards Ciel. "Honestly, if I didn't know you so well, I'd think Sebastian was an idiot."

Ciel's good eyes snaps up to Alois' sneering face, and he grimaces, crossing his arms. "What's that supposed to mean? More so, what does it have to do with me? Whose intelligence are you insulting here?" He steps closer to the blond, nearly nose to nose with him. "Because I'm certain it isn't me, considering the fact that I helped you pass your entrance exam after middle school."

"Easy, kitten, easy," Alois placates, waving his hands mildly. "I'm only teasing. _And_ , I thank you everyday for helping me."

The smaller junior rolls his eyes and relaxes his posture. "Not verbally, you don't." He sighs heavily and turns back to Sebastian, who still has his eyes cast towards the box of money. "What are you going to do with it all? It's quite a bit - I can only imagine what you'll buy."

Ruby red eyes glance up, and then Sebastian's face slowly loses its earlier glazed look. He shakes the box in his hands. "I think I'm going to give some of it to all of you. I mean, all of you - Ciel, Ronald, Finny, Bard, Mey-rin, and even Chamber - you've all helped me get to where I am now. It's only fair if I share the prize." He looks at everyone, almost wistfully. "I just assumed it would be nice, you know?" 

Finny makes a weeping sound as he throws his arms around Sebastian's waist, nearly knocking the box from his hands. "You're too good to us, Sebastian!" he cries, burrowing his head against the senior's chest. "We don't deserve your kindness!" For a few moments, Sebastian allows him to cry, freeing a hand to stroke at his soft, blond hair. When Finny is done and has been coaxed away by Mey-rin, Sebastian clears his throat.

"I'd like to thank all of you. And by all of you, I mean everyone that's aided in my success. Even those that aren't here with us tonight." He shakes his head in an action that is almost spurred by disbelief. "I never... never expected for any of this to happen. That first night, when Ciel first offered me his car, I expected to just... lose, or something, you know. I thought I would just race once to get it out of my system and then swear off cars forever, like my father wanted." There is a pause, and Sebastian has to look at the ceiling for a moment to keep himself composed. "I can't tell you all how much this means to me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."

This time, the garage's trio all cry out and grab Sebastian into a hug, each taking turns to squeeze small grunts out of him. 

Ciel smiles meekly and manages to slip into the hug once everyone else is done.  "I'm very proud of you," he echoes like before, rubbing small circles against Sebastian's chest. He tilts his head away slightly to look up at the other male, mouth quirked. "What will you do now? Are you done racing?"

Tokyo seems to freeze in that moment, seems to stop humming and buzzing and moving. The concrete catalyst that is the LL is calm, and Sebastian closes his eyes for a while, becoming just as still, just as silent. He thinks about everything that has happened, about everything that has accumulated and grown and come together. He thinks about breaking Chamber's finger, and about kissing Ciel for the first time, and about the way his heart raced when he had won his first race. He thinks about the first car he had ever stolen, and the first car he had ever been given. He thinks about his mother, and his father, and Joker. He thinks about the future, and the stars out in Hinohara. He thinks about the trip to France, and the way that Ciel had fit so perfectly against his chest the first time they had slept together. Everything seems so true in that moment, so distant and all too real.

Sebastian takes a deep breath and Ciel's hand. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do after this, but I do know that we're going to see my father. I have a lot to tell him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp! that's it, folks. show's over. glad you all could join me on this ride. (i'm totally not crying, i promise) 
> 
> i honestly don't even know what to say. i'm just. i'm astonished that i could actually finally finish a fanfic and have people like it. thank you, for everything.
> 
> comments are always welcome, and it'd be great if you shared this fic with your friends or rec'd it to people on tumblr or twitter or any other social media thing. 
> 
> thanks again.
> 
> much love xoxo


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